Ace of Hearts
by vintagegrace
Summary: Do you ever feel like your life is in the middle of a hurricane? Like your whole existence is in the eye of the storm? Because that's how mine is. Lee Mitchell was average in many aspects. She was a great student, a beloved daughter and friend, and from the outside everything looked perfect. What no one ever knew was her struggle. That is, no one did, until she met him.
1. 1

1

Students rush through the hallways with smiles on their faces. Each of them are too excited at the prospect of another school year ending to notice the introvert lost in the chaos of her own mind. The package in my hands feels like it was crafted from steel, mostly from my thoughts and the symbolic weight it carries with it.

My nails are down to nothing more than stubs, and I find myself continuing to bite them in frustration. Nevertheless, I shove the package into my backpack and shove my way through the bustling crowd with my head down. If my mother knew that I was about to skip AP Chemistry, she would have my feet glued to my bedroom floor-even without knowing the contents of my bag. "Ooh, are you finally being a little rebel?" A familiar voice cheers quietly as they swing an arm over my shoulder.

"No, I just need some time to figure out what I'm going to say to her. Plus, I won't be able to focus on anything Miss Holloway says until I do." Jade gives me a sympathetic smile as she pulls me into a half hug. "Do you know anywhere we can hide out for a bit? I really have to figure this out."

"Sometimes you act like you have no idea who you're talking to." She laughs as she pulls me out of the main school building. "So, what's the plan? I mean your mom has to know that you're graduating sometime before you get your diploma or the cards start pouring in."

"You think I don't know that?" I question as a fresh way of goosebumps rise on my skin.

"Luckily, my dad is going to be back on Sunday. So if anything goes wrong, he'll be there to help calm her down. The main question I have is how to remind my tiger mom, who has had my whole life planned out, that I bypassed a whole grade and am graduating early."

"Wouldn't she be happy? I mean, this is great for you. Plus, it looks amazing on a college application." She sighs as she brushes back a piece of her perfect, nearly-black hair from her eyes. "Wait, are you still considering that gap year?"

My eyes flicker around the stairwell and anywhere they can find as I meekly nod. When I first heard that my extra curricular activities and excessively hard work earned me the chance to retest my status at school, I was thrilled. The first thoughts that came to my head were memories of all the adventurous dreams my dad has filled my head with. Dreams of once again seeing Europe, hopping on a train until I hit the next coast, and finding all the things out of reach of this town.

Of course, it all became more solidified when the test results pushed me ahead another year, which landed me in the same class as my best friend, Jade. That's when the dream didn't seem so far fetched and strange. It felt like if I pushed myself and reach for it-it would be here. My dad thought the same thing. Until we remembered-my ambitious mom. She would always be pushing me to be like her-except better. So a year off from my education is simply a waste of time to her.

"It's all I've been wanting this past year, Jade. Every mid-night study session, excitement over good grades, page of meticulous notes, and second of hard work was me pushing myself to convincing her I earned it. I've worked my butt off for as long as I can remember, and all I want is one glistening moment of freedom. A moment when I chose where to go, who to be, and what I do before I nail myself down to a career for the rest of my life. I know, it's stupid, but it's a part of me."

"Lee, I'm your best friend, and I would _never_ call you stupid. In fact, I'll punch anyone who calls you that, even it meant breaking a nail." Her chuckles carries as we leave the cramped stairwell and into the open air. "Your mom can't see it, but you're just like your dad. All the summer road trips, book obsessions, and imaginative ideas are what tie you two together.

"Unfortunately, that's not something you share with her. Instead, you two are both stubborn, determined, and intelligent people. She loves you, Lea. If you can get it through to her that this is something you need to do and make her see how important it is. I'm sure she'll understand."

"Thank you." I sigh before smiling up at her. "I think I know exactly what I need to say to her."

Jade just brushes the hair off her shoulder with a proud smile. "Perfect. Now, let's go celebrate this momentous occasion. How about we sneak off to the cafe?"

. . .

"Hey, Mom." I greet as I set my bag on the kitchen floor. "How was work?"

There's a deep sigh that escapes from her mouth as she continues to pour over the stack of papers in front of her. "It was stressful, hectic, and full of idiots who can barely add without a calculator. I'm honestly about to request a new assistant to write down my dictations." There's another harsh noise from her as she furrows her brow at the paper. "I can't even tell what I was trying to say here."

"Let me see." I whisper as my courage from earlier dissipates. "It says 'Tokyo meeting was pushed back to next Tuesday. London wants to advance launch date. Talk to Cavanaugh and Vaughn before the next board meeting." I tell her as I read over the scrambled notes with ease.

"Do you have a moment? I need to talk to you about something."

"Just give me one minute, and I am all yours." She mumbles as she corrects the notes. I bite my lip as I grab my backpack. Her gaze instantly snaps to me when the package makes a loud thump against the marble counter. "What's that?"

"It's my graduation announcements." My voice comes out weak and strained. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Lee, you're a junior. Now tell me, what's really in the box." She chuckles and opens up the package. Her eyes widen when she sees the contents, and realization follows a moment later.

"Oh, these are graduation announcements. That right, I almost forgot you tested out."

"Mom, I was actually hoping to talk to you about what I'm doing after graduation." I pause and stare down at my trembling hands. The simple silver band on my right thumb feels like it's growing tighter with every second, and my fingertips feel like they were dipped in ice water. "I want to take a year off. Especially since I'm only seventeen, it would feel weird being in college classes with everyone older than me. Dad said he thinks it's a great idea. Plus, Jade is staying in an apartment off campus and offered to let me stay with her."

"Lee–" My mom starts with the tension building in her voice, but she has to take a moment to compose herself. "–you know how I feel about gap years. They're a waste of time and only hinder your chances of getting into a good university."

"I know. It's just–it's important to me, Mom. I want to be able to pick the right school and take some time for myself. It's not something that can be crammed into one summer."

"I am not having this conversation with you. The answer is 'no.'" The harsh edge in her voice makes me jump back in surprise. "Your dad may think it's good for you, but he lives in fantasy. I exist solely in reality. You know, the place where you understand what all this hard work has been for?"

Usually, I would nod my head without any arguments, but this time I don't–can't back down. "Mom, this is my decision. I know you don't approve, but I work ten times harder than anyone else. Don't you remember when you were my age? When you first met dad? The times that you just wanted to run and end up where you may?" My voice becomes rough and squeaky. "All I want is some time. Time to see what's outside of the classrooms and textbooks, to meet new people, and to learn what a professor can't teach. I'm sorry if that doesn't fit in your 'plan,' but you can't plot out someone's life for them. I mean, is that even a life at all?"

Silence drapes across the room, and the air between my mom and I. She looks away from me, and I wipe the tears from my eyes. "I'll consider it." Are the only words that she whispers, her voice gains a bit of strength as she continues. "Just give me some time."

. . .

The shouting match hasn't stopped since the moment my dad walked in the door. Even now, as I blast my music through noise cancelling headphones, their words come through muddle but clear.

Each moment of shouting causes the guilty ache in my chest to get worse. My parent's relationship has been precarious for most of my life, and this argument might just be the nudge that tips it over the edge. This was my worst nightmare. It was the thought that kept me up at night and haunted my waking moments. The idea that my need for freedom could be the final crack in my parents chipped and crumbling marriage is the one thing I could never forgive myself for.

Although, both of them made it clear that anything that happens between them is never _my_ fault. The blame simply lies with too many differences and too few similarities. It never really helped when my dad let it slip that I'm adopted. Even though I had my suspicions long before, it seemed like the greatest fracture in their relationship.

"I finally finished reading that new novel you gave me." I beam across the table to my dad, who sips on his scotch with a wide smile. "Are you up to talking about it after dinner?"

"Sweetie, don't you have homework to do?" My mother questions as she clears up the plates from the table. I notice the glare she casts his way. "She has a lot of work to get to, Zach. Please, try to keep the distractions to a minimum."

He rolls his eyes back at her before turning back to me. "So, bean, tell me why you picked your favorite character." I grin widely as I spend the next twenty minutes rambling on about the strength, independence, and flaws of my favorite character. "You definitely are my daughter." He whispers into his glass, which causes it to echo louder than he expected. "I mean, at least you share some of my interests."

"Dad?" I bite my lip and feel as the chapped skin grates my teeth. My voice falls to where it's barely above silence. "Why did you guys never tell me I was adopted?" His eyes widen in panic, and his face reflects the defeat he feels. There's no use in lying anymore, not after the years of continuing the charade. "Don't tell Mom I know?"

"I won't, bean." His eyes become teary as he strokes my hair gently. "I can promise you that."

That was the night that brought my dad and I exponentially closer, while simultaneously expanding the barrier between me and my mom. It only made it worse when she found out he had been telling me the small bits of information he knew about my birth parents and how he was always willing to help me find out more. It was mostly because he didn't want me to go through the eternal torment he faced. He never wanted me to spend my life questioning why they gave me up or wondering if I was really loved. Instead, my dad, Zachary Mitchell, spent his spare moments making sure I knew he cared, that he loved me, and no matter what that I'm his 'little bean.'

Mom wanted to take the different approach. She thought that ignorance would have been the better situation for me. In her mind, if I never knew, there was no reason for me to question their love or who I was. I understood her reasoning, she never wanted anyone to take her place as my mom, but that could never happen.

The gentle knock on my door pulls me out of my introspection, and two faces appear in the doorframe. "Hey, bean. We have some things we wanted to talk to you about."


	2. 2

I stare around at my nearly empty room. Pictures still hang on the wall alongside the memorabilia of a lifetime spent in these walls. "I still can't believe this is really happening."

"I know it's not exactly what you had hoped for, but I think it will still be good for you." My dad smiles as he wraps me in the millionth hug for the day. "Your mom is still royally pissed at me for helping you with this. Still, it will be just like the old days."

"You mean when we would eat junk food, stay in fancy hotels, jump on the bed, watch tv, and do anything that mom would never approve of?"

"I was thinking more of when you would keep me up all night in anticipation of what we would do the next day. Then you would make me read until you finally fell asleep." He laughs and picks my suitcase up from the floor.

"Oh yeah. I did do that didn't I?" A quiet moment settles over the two of us. "There's no way I can thank you enough for this. I'm really going to miss you, Dad."

"I'm going to miss you too, bean." We both chuckle as he ruffles my hair up. "Don't change too much. You may be grown up, but you're always going to be my little bean."

"I know." I sigh as we leave my bedroom to drag my stuff downstairs and wait for Jade. "Don't worry, if I get a tattoo or dye my hair a crazy color, you'll be the first one I tell."

"Please, don't get a tattoo."

"Fine, hair dye it is then." I tease with a devious smile. "I'm going to miss you too, Mom. Thank you again for letting me do this." I try to tread carefully around her and the subject, but she remains stiff. Even as I wrap her in a tight hug, she gently wraps her arm around me and kisses my hair.

A car horn blares from outside, which brings a smile to my face. "You should get going. You wouldn't want to miss your flight." She pauses for a long moment as she still hold onto my arms. "Do you have everything you need? Your scheduling memorized?"

"I wouldn't be your daughter if I didn't." I chuckle and kiss her cheek before heading out with one last wave. "I'll call you when we land!"

. . .

"Oh. My. God." Jade whispers with her jaw hanging in awe at the view. "This is so freaking cool. Not only are we in California, we're staying on the beach, for nearly a week?"

"Yep. Isn't it great?" My feet bounce underneath me as I stare out across the beach from our terrace. "It's even more breathtaking than I remembered. The last time I was here, I was seven and with my dad on his book tour."

"And do you remember all the good places to meet people?" Jade nudges my shoulder with a sly wink. She's already made it abundantly clear that this summer she wants to help me get out of my shell. "Or at least fun things to do?"

"I think I remember a few good restaurants and secluded beaches. For now, I need a my camera and journal. This is going to be the kind of thing I remember."

I spend nearly an hour on the terrace. The waves tumble against the shore and leave traces of their touch on the sand in the form of soft foam. My notebook rests on my lap, and I pause to work out the cramps in my hand before continuing.

It all seems so strange to be _here_ in my summer of freedom. This beach was where my dad showed me the best spots to find shells and how to dry them out. He showed me how to send a message into a bottle and where to hide it for others to find. This was the beach where he told me tales of pirates and vagabonds, and princesses in search of adventures on the wide ocean.

Book tours with my dad were always _my_ version of an adventure. Now, I'm on the start of an adventure all my own, and I couldn't be more excited for it to finally begin.

It should feel perfect, liberating, and fun, but instead, I feel lost. Maybe that's what this trip will be all about—finding the part of me that went missing somewhere along the way. Maybe it will be about discovering how to not feel guilty for the things I can't stop or change.


	3. 3

"I don't want to go back so soon." Jade wines from beside me as we drag ourselves throughout the spacious Denver airport. "Do you think my parents would freak out if we came back a couple days late?"

I chuckle at the thought of Brenda and James's reactions to the scenario. "You're parents, no. Mine, would annihilate any trace of my existence off the face of the earth. Plus, I have some things I need to do." I tap my plane ticket against my thigh mindlessly weighing the pros and cons of the possibility.

I barely notice the sad looks Jade keeps casting my way and the flex of her jaw as she prepares to speak. "You're really serious about it aren't you?"

"Of course, I am. I just need to figure out how and when to do it." There's a long pause between our next exchange as we end up caught up in our own thoughts. "I'm going to go check our flight on the board. Grab us some seats by the outlet?"

Jade nods silently as we split paths, but we both stop in our tracks when we hear our flight number being called through the speakers followed by a way-too-perky voice announcing, "Flight 317 has been cancelled due to hazardous weather affecting the flight path. We apologize for any inconvenience, and—" I tune out the woman's voice as I set my bags down by a set of chairs and proceed to shove my way to the front of the desk's forming line.

I spent nearly an hour being stared down by a woman with foundation that made her skin look orange. "Look, I don't need to get out on the next flight. I would honestly be perfectly content with a voucher and book another departure when the weather clears up."

"Let me see what I can do for you, miss." That's all she would say to me before typing something on her computer, making a snarky comment, and beginning the cycle all over again. "Alright, miss, here is your voucher. Is there anything else I can do for you today?"

"No, not today." I tell her as I grab the vouchers and leave to find Jade laughing at my misery. "It's not funny. I think, I'm going to get a bruise from that old lady's purse stabbing my back."

"Come on, Ace. I'll buy you a milkshake as a prize for your knockout." She chuckles and slings an arm over my shoulder.

"It better be the biggest milkshake ever." I jokingly grumble.

Turns out, I ended up with a whole lot more than just a milkshake.

Jade and I sit talking and laughing at the counter of a small diner, but in our usual fashion, it doesn't last for very long before we turn serious. "So where are you going to start your search for _them_?" The reference to my birth parents escapes her lips in a whisper. "I mean, couldn't they have moved since you were born?"

"They probably have, but my best chance of finding a trace of them is in New Orleans. I was born there, lived there for six years before we moved. It's home. Even if I don't find them there, at least I can see home again."

"I guess you have a point. I just wish you didn't have to be alone through all of this." She avoids looking at me as she spins her straw around in her drink. "Maybe you could—"

Her words are cut short by a bunch of rowdy guys our age entering the diner, and in a split second, our peace is shattered by them shouting over one another. "Well, I guess it's nice to know that some things are a constant no matter where we go." I chuckle bitterly as I focus on my nearly empty drink. "I'm going to pick some music before the jock-strapped baboons take over the jukebox."

"Just be sure to play at least one song I'll know." Jade instructs me as I walk away. Although we both know my music taste is far too old school and indie to ever truly meet that request, I play along with the concept of it.

The chatter of the jocks continues on like the bass line of a bad pop song, and it fills the air until I think that I might suffocate from the overwhelming amount of sheer noise. It's one of the many moments I feel my mind cluttering with a thousand jumbled thoughts. My coins click through the old school juke box, which gives me something to focus on—to ground myself.

I force myself to take long deep breaths and hold onto the machine in front of me until my knuckles turn white. The world slowly shift in and out of focus for a split second, and I have to close my eyes to keep from tumbling. "One… Two… Three… Deep breaths… You're not going to beat me." I repeat the rhyme like a lullaby until the chilling grip on my mind and body slowly eases.

"Are you going to pick a song?" A stranger asks from over my shoulder.

I turn around, fully prepared to make a snarky comment. Except, when I do, I'm met with deep brown eyes and gentle smirk on a very _attractive_ stranger. It only takes me a moment to recover from my fluster before I return the smirk with, "Sorry, it's a bit hard to hear you over the raucous your 'friends' are making. I figured you probably wouldn't even be able to hear music amidst all that."

The stranger's smirk only grows as he looks me up and down. A part of me can't help but wonder what he's seeing. A girl with messy waves in her hair and makeup half applied-half slapped on in a hurry this morning, but I make no move to cover myself up or smooth down my hair. After all, I'll never see him again so who cares? "I apologize for them, darling. They can get a little carried away after a win." His voice comes out soft and gentle like perfect melody that's only enhanced by his accent.

I turn back to the juke box in an attempt to ignore him and his lingering gaze. "Doesn't matter to me. I'm just going to ignore you all either way." I nearly want to cry in relief at the sound of my calm stable voice, but also curse the heat that is rushing to my cheeks. I mindlessly press the buttons to a couple different songs, which sets up the perfect queue of songs to play that will drown out their noise. "I didn't exactly peg you as a old school rock kind of girl." The stranger comments as he trails behind me for a few steps.

"And what exactly made you think you knew me well enough to make that kind of assumption? Are you a psychic or a poor judge of character?" I tease as I turn back to him and rest my weight against the counter behind me. There's no need for me to look over to know that Jade is watching this whole scene intently with what I assume is a ridiculous grin on her face. After all, this is the kind of thing she's been pushing me to do all summer.

"I don't claim either of those titles." He chuckles which light his dark brown eyes up with amusement and reveal little laughter lines around them. "I was merely making a speculation which turned out to be incorrect."

"I'm sure it really hurt your ego."

"Actually, I think you've done more damage in the past few minutes than anything else." I can't help the genuine laugh that escapes my lips at the look he's giving me. It quite resembles a hurt puppy, if they could still look arrogant and egotistical at the same time. "Allow me to introduce myself, darling. I'm Kol—Kol Mikaelson." As he speaks he makes sure to take my hand and place a gentle kiss on the back of it, which normally would make me flustered and panicked, but I'm too busy noticing something else. The pride in the way he says his name. It's almost as if he half-expected me to have heard it before and fall at his feet in praise. Except, he remains perfectly composed at my blank expression.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" I tilt my head a fraction and watch him carefully to see how he responds. "Am I supposed to collapse to the ground in awe that I'm in the presence of _the_ Kol Mikaelson?"

"Not necessarily. Although, you're more than welcome to if you would like."

"That kind of thing wouldn't happen, even in your dreams, Mikaelson." I tease as I walk away fully aware of the shocked mess I leave behind me.

"You never told me your name, darling." He informs me as he follows me to my seat next to Jade. "I think it's only fair that with all the emotional hurt you've caused me."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine, _darling_." Jade has to bite back a laugh at the mock accent I put on at the return of the name.

Kol just continues to smile as he flexes his jaw and turns to Jade as if he just now noticed she was there. "Is she always like this?"

"Oh, trust me, you're seeing a very rare side of her." Jade casts a wink at him, which causes me to roll my eyes. She's always been so convinced that I needed to just let loose and have fun this summer. I mean, I have, but not in the way she was expecting. "I'm Jade, by the way." Kol gingerly takes her hand and gives it a delicate shake as he once again repeats his name with that same pride.

"So, would you care to join us, or would you rather get back to your friends?" Jade asks him, and I swore my heart lurches in my chest at the words.

"It would be an honor to join you." Kol smiles deviously as he takes the seat on the bar stool next to me. "Well, looks like I'm getting the chance to know you much better." He whisper low enough so that only I hear.

"You're insufferable, Kol Mikaelson." I whisper back as I start my attempts to ignore him, all of which fail miserably.


	4. 4

There was a few minutes of quiet conversation between Jade and Kol, while I sat in the middle ignoring the both of them. That is, until a knight in a dirty baseball shirt came and 'rescued' me. "Kol, why do you always have to bug everyone you meet?" Kol's friend questions with a charming smile and the shake of his head. "Sorry if he's bothering you two."

"It's okay, I can't blame you for him." I smile up at the stranger with a laugh.

"I am wounded, Ace." Kol chuckles as he leans back against the counter. Then his attention shift back to his friend as he continues, "And for your information, the lovely Jade here asked me to join them. See, I am not bothering people, Jeremy."

"He's lying. He's been bugging me all night." I tell his friend, who laughs along at the comment with me. "Now tell me something, 'is he always like this?'" I question using the same line he asked Jade earlier.

Jeremy eyes crinkle at his smile while he simply nods his head. "Yes, he's _always_ like this."

"Really? I was sure this was merely a fluke." I joke with a side glance to Kol, who looks at me with mock contempt. Nevertheless, I keep on teasing and joking about him with Jeremy for the rest of the night—much to Kol's obvious dismay.

It only felt like a few moments of us all talking as a group before we hear someone clear their throat. "Sorry, kids, but the diner's closing. You're gonna have to leave for the night." The middle-aged waitress informs us with her hand on her hip. I instinctively look around to find the diner is completely empty.

"Well, you know what they say, time flies when you're having fun." Jade laughs and shrugs her shoulders as she grabs her jacket and stifles a yawn. "I definitely need some sleep."

"I'm with you, Jay." I chime as I start to walk out the door and into the cool summer night. I barely notice as Jeremy and Jade stay behind a couple steps to continue talking and flirting like they have all night.

Unfortunately, that leaves me trapped with Kol once again. "You know, you're nothing like I expected, Ace." He comments as he walks beside me with his hands shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket, which only enhances his hard achieved 'bad boy' image.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." I chuckle bitterly. Nearly every time someone says something nice or halfway kind to me, it's usually a hidden jab.

Kol's eyes follow my every movement and analyze every expression. It's as if he can sense the distrust and bitterness in my posture. "You should. It's not very often people surprise me, but you do." I stop walking when something in his voice changes, like a fracture appearing in an otherwise perfect mask.

I open my mouth to ask him about it, but my mind fumbles the words. Then Jade and Jeremy catch up to us before I can bring myself to ask. "Come on, Ace. We should get going." Jade smiles knowingly as she pulls me along.

I stop for a moment to give a half-hearted wave to the two guys. Jeremy waves back, but Kol stands there stoically looking at me before speaking just loud enough for me to hear. "See you later, Ace."

"If you're lucky, Mikaelson." I smile as Jade and I march back to our hotel for the night.

"You so like him." Jade teases once we're a couple blocks away from the diner. I start to shake my head and prepare to protest when she cuts me off. "There's no denying it, Lee. I'm your best friend, it's my job to know these things."

"You're crazy. You know that right?"

"See you can't deny it!" She cheers as she jumps around in front of me. "Don't worry though, I'm pretty sure he likes you too."

"There's just one issue with your little dream world, Jay. We're probably never going to see them again."

"Not necessarily. I have a feeling about it." There's a short pause as she looks over her shoulder towards the diner where we parted ways. "I think we'll be seeing them again."

. . .

I sigh as I look out the car window. After a whole summer of adventures, new experiences, and meeting new people, the idea of coming back to the starting point feels—ridiculous. It also causes another wave of panic to start clutching my lungs. Being home means facing my parents—my mother, who will expect the summer to have been enough, and my father, who I will have to inform that I didn't change my mind.

Everything seems to point me back to New Orleans—to the only place that felt remotely like home. No matter how hard I try to focus on something else, I feel the cold metal that rests under my collarbone from the leather strap, catch a glance of something in the mirror that makes me curious, or have another 'accident' that makes me wonder—what do I not know about myself?

I can still remember the first time the glass vase on the counter shattered when I was upset, the carpet started to burn, or a door slammed shut so hard it broke the frame. It's always been like this for me. Anytime I get upset, anxious, or out of control, the inexplicable happens, and my parents would make some silly explanation before pretending like it never happened. I honestly thought I was crazy until Jade saw it happen. It's another point on my list of reasons to find my birth parents.

The car lurches to a stop in front of the grand brick building that I call 'home.' "Thank you, Peter. Don't forget to give the wife and kids my love." I inform the driver who simply nods with a kind smile and rushes to open my door for me.

"It's good to have you back, Miss Mitchell." He tells me as he hands me my suitcase.

"I wish I could say it was good to be back." I whisper to myself as I force myself to head inside and prepare for the next world war that's about to start in there.

It was over an hour before I could get more than a sentence in between the shouting, and even then I was still cut off—repeatedly. "I'm going to live with Jade off campus. If it really means that much to you, I'll take a couple classes, but I'm not enrolling full time." I try to explain to my mom, but she's having none of it, and my dad sees through my lies as to why I'm not enrolling. "This is something that I need to do, and it's _my_ choice to make."

That's the last words I say to either of them for the next few days, and as much as it hurts me to not talk to them, I keep up my silent protest. Unfortunately, it all comes crumbling when my dad comes into my room with red-rimmed eyes. "Lee, there's something I need to tell you." His voice threatens to crack with every syllable, and he collapses on the bed next to me. "You're mother and I—are going to separate for a little bit."

I sit there in shock and fear. Frozen in place as I watch my world slowly fall apart around me.

Everything is muddled and distorted. I can barely make out the words that continues to pour out of my dad in a tangled mess. "It's not your fault— been building up for a long time now—doesn't really change much."

"Why? What's going to happen now? Who's going where?" The question leave my lips faster than I can think them up. "Are you moving? Is mom? Or are both of you just going to pack up and split? Does this mean you're getting a divorce?"

"Not at the moment, no. We aren't planning on getting a divorce, but I am going to move down to my writing apartment for the time being." He sighs and stares down at his fidgeting hands. I swear, in this moment, my dad looks ten times his age with a burden worse than Atlas.

"Dad, is this because of me?" I question tentatively as I rest my head on his shoulder.

"No, bean, this isn't because of you. This is something that has been coming for a while now. I just didn't see it sooner."

"I'm sorry, Dad. Is there anything I can do?"

"Don't worry yourself about it, bean. Just focus on what _you_ _need_ to do." His smile is soft but guarded. I don't even think as I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly.

"So, where exactly is your writing apartment? I think I might want to stay there with you for a little while to help you settle in."

"Oh, it's just in a small town with a peculiar history." There's a tiny glint in his eyes at the mention of it, like he can sense the stories brewing beneath the surface. "It's called Mystic Falls."

"There's nothing that's going to make this better, Jade." I whisper into my phone as I sit on the fire escape outside my room. Even from here I can still hear the arguing going on inside. "I'm going to stay with him for a little while. If I know my dad, which I do, this is going to break him. He's gonna need me for who knows how long."

"I know, and the apartment will be ready whenever. I'll be fine on my own for a bit." There's a pause, and I can hear her taking a deep breath through the phone to keep her voice from cracking. "So, where is this apartment?"

"It's a small town called Mystic Falls. My dad was telling me all about the weird history there. Apparently it's been the rumored home to vampires, werewolves, and witches since the late 1800s." I feel my shoulders relax as I tell her all about the weird things that have happened there. I even crack a few jokes about playing supernatural sleuth. Although, even that doesn't bring my spirit up much.

To say the next few days were torture would be a vast understatement. Neither my mom or dad could speak more than short sentences to each other, which I found out had started shortly after I left for the summer. Every moment with the two of them and the tense silence is maddening. The only thing that kept me screaming into my pillow every night was wondering and researching Mystic Falls and my birth parents.

Each day, I would dig deeper and deeper, but I usually came up with nothing, which only intrigued me further. How is it that a whole town's history is buried and only rumors float around with any promises of information? I never expected to find much on my biological parents. Especially since I only knew that they were in New Orleans at the time of my birth and the inscription on the silver band I wear on my neck. Answers on them were bound to be scarce.

Still, every morning, I would wake up and drink my coffee while I dig into the poorly designed sights, and the sinew that clutters them. For that hour every morning, the world was irrelevant. My sole thoughts were trying to find _real_ answers, which made me more anxious to get there and search in person. I kept a mental countdown of exactly how long until I would enter Mystic Falls. It was as if some unnatural force was pulling me towards it—closer to the town and to the mystery.

All around me, things slowly started leaving their usual homes and into boxes to be taken to my dad's apartment. I even start doing the same in my room as I add a few extra items from what I had originally planned to take to Jade's and my apartment. It wasn't much, a couple pictures, an extra coat and clothes, and any small things I like to wherever I live.

Then, before I knew it, my room was down to a little more than a skeleton, and my dad and I were bound for Mystic Falls.


	5. 5

_Welcome to Mystic Falls!_ The sign greets as we drive down on the small road. I tap my foot anxiously as the pull I've been feeling in my chest becomes infinitely stronger. It's like my senses all went into overdrive. Every sight, sound, and even smell are heightened from my excitement and nerves.

A piece of me feels like a child returning from summer camp—like I'm finally home. Although Mystic Falls is definitely not my home, it's the closest I've come to feeling like it in quite a while, and who knows? Maybe one day, it will be home to me. "How come you never brought me here before?" I question my dad as I stare out the window with awe.

"It's my secret spot to come and write." He tells me with a chuckle. "Plus, you know how your mother is about me taking you to places with weird histories."

"She thinks it's impractical." I tell him dryly. She always thought that if you were to go somewhere ti should be to do work or learn something new. Unfortunately she doesn't see the spooky and supernatural as viable learning topics. I know better than to bring up anything involving mom given the current situation, which leads me to ask. "So are we getting food or stopping by the apartment first?"

"Well, considering the chatter that's been coming from your stomach, I was thinking food first." He laughs as he nudges me with his elbow. "There's the local grill that has some pretty great burgers."

"Food sounds good to me and my stomach." I reply with a smile and urge my dad to tell me everything he knows about the town in the hopes of keeping his mind off of things.

It works like a charm. He continues to drive into town as he informs me of the entire town's history. "It was also home to some major Civil War activity, but I'm more interested in the spooky side of it all. From what records I've dug up, they've had a strange number of 'animal attacks' which resulted in victims being drained of blood."

"Are you saying this place might actually have vampires?" I question with a unbelieving smile. Everyone knows that vampires, werewolves, and all that supernatural stuff are only stories. "You know that's a bit of a stretch, Dad. Even for the two of us."

"Nothing is ever impossible, Ophelia. The moment you think something is, everything will conspire to prove you wrong."

I roll my eyes at my dad's eccentric thoughts as the car pulls to a stop outside of a small, well-lit restaurant, which stands out against the rest of the closed shops. It, like most of the town, is a little bit worn but still well-kept. "The whole town is so quiet." I whisper to my dad as we walk inside, and the sheer amount of noise and people nearly make me stumble. "Correction—outside is quiet."

"Come on, kiddo." I follow my dad along and watch all around me as we take our seats at the bar.

Everything in the restaurant has that small, 'hometown' feel. From all the rustic lighting and chairs, to the worn leather booths, and the pool table, it's the place you only come across once. I watch the people in their seats— some are laughing, others play pool, a group in the corner booth whisper with tense looks. They're the ones that hold my attention the most. Although I'm forced to break away from them when my dad starts talking to me again.

That's also when I notice the familiar face running around behind the bar. "Jeremy?" I call to the brown haired boy, who turns around in confusion. "Jeremy Gilbert." A chuckle escapes my lips at the look of wonder on his face. "I was not expecting to see you here."

"What are you talking about? I live here. The better question is what are you doing here?" Jeremy questions with a small laugh as he shakes his head.

I nod my head towards my dad, who looks between the two of us incredulously. "I'm staying with my dad for a little while." I lean back against the bar stool and shake my head. "It's so weird to see here. The only thing missing is Kol popping up to deliver another dose of his nauseating charm."

Jeremy forces a stiff smile on his face, but I notice the way his body language changed at the mention of his friend. I give him a questioning look in the hopes he'll say something to explain, but he just brushes it off. "I should introduce myself. I'm Jeremy Gilbert, one of Lee's friends." He smiles as he extends his hand to greet my dad.

"Nice to meet you, Jeremy." My dad gives me a sideways glance as he shakes Jeremy's hand. I can tell he's silently praising Jer for being a gentleman and giving him a pre-approval stamp. The look makes me want to hide in a hole out of pure embarrassment.

I tune out the conversation between the two of them and resume looking around the restaurant. The group of concerned teens have disappeared, and a couple of jocks have taken their place in the booth. The restaurant chatters with life and laughter. The smell of food drift with every waiter that walks by, and I can't help but smile at the normality of it all.

I'm pulled away from everything and back into reality when a cellphone starts ringing beside me. My dad becomes rigid as he looks at the screen. "You can go ahead and take it, Dad. I'll meet you back at the apartment. Okay?"

He nods with a sad smile and slips his card into my hand. There's no time to protest before he's on the phone and slipping out the door. I'm alone again, Dad's falling apart, and everything is one gigantic mess. I sit back down on a barstool and start to wonder if things ever truly change.

I barely even notice when two other patrons take the seats next to me due to the hurricane of thoughts ripping through my skull. The cold glass chills my fingertips as I shakily bring it to my lips. Normally, I hate even the smell of my father's alcohol choices, but this time I'm too desperately wanting to numb the pain to care.

"Isn't she gorgeous, brother?" The guy next to me questions his companion, and my eyebrow furrows at the familiar accent.

"Yes, she looks especially good walking away from you." The voice sends a quick shiver down my spine. Of all the places either of us could be, we end up in the same spot.

"Kol Mikaelson," I mutter with a slight chuckle. I look to my right to find him overcoming his shock to stare right back. "What are you stalking me now?"

"If I remember correctly, you were the one that always ended up in the same place as me." Delight dances in his dark brown eyes, and a charming smile creeps onto his face. "Plus, this is my town. So if anyone is doing the stalking it's you."

A loud laugh spills out from my lips before I can stop it. "Oh, you wish I were. It would be the only thing that your ego is missing."

"Come on, Ace. You know you missed me."

"Not even for a second, Jack."

"Sorry to intrude on this touching conversation, but I thought I should introduce myself." Kol's companion smiles as he turns his attention to me, and I to him. "I'm Klaus." He says his name with an immense sense of pride and confidence, which he uses full advantage of as he takes my hand and gently kisses it. "And who might this lovely creature be?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Klaus. Please, don't think me rude, but I can't tell you my name. Kol still has yet to find it out, and I _love_ a good game."

Klaus looks back at his brother whose cheeks are turning red, despite his obvious attempt to remain cool. "I can respect that."

"Come on, darling. Hasn't this little game of your gone on long enough?" Kol questions, but I still smirk at him.

"You, Kol, are going to have to earn it." I tease and polish off the contents of the glass in my hand.

"How come we have never seen you around here before?" Klaus asks as he diverts all attention away from the mocking glare down between Kol and I.

"That's because it's my first time in Mystic Falls. My dad just got an apartment in town. So I'm staying with him for a little while." I tell Klaus with a charming smile, which I can tell is driving Kol nuts. Why it's bothering him? I have no earthly idea, but it makes for a fun evening.

Klaus quickly picks up on the game, and we spend our time talking to each other while completely ignoring Kol. "So what's with the blonde? I mean she _really_ seems to hate you."

"I may have gotten on the bad side of some her friends." Klaus shrugs like it's an everyday occurrence, but I can tell there is much more to the story. "What about you? What's the story between you and Kol?"

At the mention of his name, Kol is back in the game. I push my plum colored hair out of my face as I quirk an eyebrow. A part of me expected Kol to tell the story himself, but he waited silently to see what I would say. "I met your brother in Denver this summer. The first time was at this dinner, where he told me he didn't expect me to like rock music. We ended up fighting over the jukebox the whole night, and he pestered me all night. I think I may have hurt his feelings when I was ignoring him though."

"Don't give yourself so much credit, darling." Kol scoffs as he sips on his drink.

Klaus and I ignore him as we keep talking until his blonde leaves, and he follows after her. By then, I've had a few drinks delivered by a nervous bartender, and my senses are more dulled than I would normally be okay with. "Quit looking at me like that, Mikaelson." I complain and send a glare his way.

Kol smirks as he sets his glass down. "Quit looking at you like what?"

"Like you're trying to figure me out. Trust me, many have tried and failed miserably." My voice is bitter and different from its usual soft, thoughtful tone.

The bartender interrupts the conversation before Kol can say anything else. "Hey, we're closing up, which means you two should probably clear out."

I slide off my stool and slap a couple stray bills from my pocket onto the counter. "I am heading home, or at least the closest thing that I have to a home." The ground remains unsteady beneath my feet. Luckily, Kol is there to wrap an arm around my waist.

"Maybe you're right. It seems every time I think I have you figured out. You surprise me all over again." Kol whispers, and his warm breath brushes against my neck. Normal me would shove him away with a snide comment, but slightly buzzed me is all goosebumps and weak knees. "Let's get you home, love."


	6. 6

Have you ever known that something was really, really bad for you, but you did it anyway? Like that junk food that you eat, that extra smoke or drink, or whatever it may be that you keep going back to?

Well, I'm pretty sure Kol Mikaelson is my really bad thing.

At least, that's the conclusion I come to when I don't walk away after that night.

Yes, he was a perfect gentleman and walked me home.

Of course, he was always sassy and sarcastic, but still kind.

Still, something about Kol Mikaelson screamed 'trouble,' and it's precisely what drew me in.

I should have walked away, made new friends in town and pretended I had no idea who Kol was. I could have spent time with Jeremy, or whoever else crossed my path. What I should have done, was never let myself get carried away, but I did.

"You're crazy, Mikaelson." I laugh as I shake my head. "There are no such things. It's all a bunch of myths."

"Then where do you suggest the myths come from?"

"Witches most likely came from people who were able to utilize herbs for healing. So back then, it was misconstrued as witchcraft and magic. Werewolves are just people thinking that they saw some guy turn into a wolf, when really it was a real wolf. Vampires, I assume, came from someone with a medical condition who needed regular blood transplants. Therefore it was twisted into a halloween story to scare children."

"What would you say if I told you that was all a lie?"

"I would repeat the statement that you are absolutely crazy."

"Than you're crazy too." He smiles like he knows a secret. "I'll prove it to you."

I roll my eyes as he blows out the candle on our table and sets it in front of me. "Okay. Now I need you to focus on the candle and say one word—incendia."

"How about 'Kol is nuts'?" I question, but the serious look on Kol's face convinces me to do as he says. The candle is in the middle of the table, the wick still burning orange from where the flame just was. A small wisp of smoke still drifts off of it, and I watch it closely as it dances for a moment before fading away. "Incendia." The word comes off my lips in a natural way.

My heart nearly stopped at the flame that popped up and lit the wick. "See I'm not entirely crazy."

"How did you do that? I was watching you the whole time." Kol continues to laugh as I look around in bewilderment. For the next five minutes I sit in my seat dumbfounded as I blow out the candle and repeat the process, each time watching Kol to make sure he's not playing a trick. "This is crazy. There's no such thing as witches and vampires." I whisper in the fear that someone may hear our conversation.

"Think again, darling. I mean this booth has both." If eyes could come out of someone's head, that's exactly what would have happened to me right then. "Yeah, I'm a vampire, one of the original vampires actually."

"Huh, that's cool." I mumble as it all clicks in my mind. Kol isn't joking or lying. I'm a witch.

"I've spent a week trying to get you to believe me, and the only thing you say is 'that's cool'?"

"Because I believe you." I reply as I stare down at the table. My fingers pick at the chipped wood as I continue. "It makes sense, I mean. Weird things happen around me sometimes when I get upset. Maybe it's just magic."

"It is." He confirms and reaches across the table to take my fidgeting hand in his. "If you want to learn, I can help."

"Learn magic?" My eyes widen in surprise and awe at the thought of learning real magic. "How?"

"I've been around for a thousand years, darling. I've picked up a few things." Kol's smile distracts me from the fact that he just admitted to being a thousand year old, original vampire. The simple gesture also makes my anxiety hush for a moment. Worse yet, it sends a strange feeling radiating through my chest. "So what do you say? Do you want to learn magic?"

"Can I take some time to think about it?" I question. Even Kol's charming smile can't win over the logical side of me that quickly—no matter how cute he is.

I half-expected him to make an ultimatum or, at least, for his smile to falter, but it didn't. Instead, it only grew across his face and revealed the laughter lines on his face. "Take all the time you need, love. I'll be here when you decide."

"Will you still be here after?" My voice comes out timid, and I want to slap myself for sounding so childish and needy. "I mean, if I decide not to. Will you still stay?"

"For you, Ace, I'll stay." For a moment, his facade cracks. Underneath the cocky, prideful Mikaelson mask is Kol—the real Kol. The kind, genuine person I've gotten to see over the past week, and who I hope to see much more of. "Come on, I'll walk you back."

"Why do you always have to walk me back?" I question as he helps me slip on my leather jacket before taking my arm and walking me out. "What makes you so worried about me that you always have to pick me up and walk me home?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about." He tells me with a serious look, but I stop in my tracks and force him to stop.

"Kol Mikaelson, don't you dare do that to me. I've told you how I feel about people keeping secrets and treating me like a child." I glare at him as I take a step closer to him so we're nearly chest to chest. "Tell me."

For a moment, the only sound around us is the quiet clatter of people leaving the grill and the cars that pass by. We both analyze each other and wait for one to break.

Right then, it becomes my personal mission never to break first around Kol.

He takes a deep breath, and I know he's cracking. I keep watching him as I cross my arms and lean against a brick wall to wait. "Fine. I'm not the only vampire here, Ace. I'm not even the only original around here."

"I knew that. I mean, I know your brother, Klaus, has to be an Original too. Plus, this place has had vampires since the Civil War. What I want to know is, what makes you so worried about them? Do you think I can't handle myself?" I question as I walk back in front of him with purpose and make him look at me.

"Not yet." There's a pause, and I know he has a good idea of what my decision will be. "Either way, I'm not exactly a star citizen around here. There's a couple vampires in town that would love to find a way to get to me and my family. I don't want you stuck in the crosshairs."

"Thank you. That's all I wanted to know." I shrug and continue down the street. It doesn't surprise me that Kol isn't liked or that he has enemies. Anyone who's been around for a thousand years is bound to upset people. Especially if they're Kol Mikaelson. I turn back and call over my shoulder with a teasing grin. "Well, are you walking me home or not, Mikaelson?"


	7. 7

The moment I walk in, the first thing that hit me is the smell of cheap scotch and bourbon. Papers are littered on the floor around the coffee table like someone was reading and tossed them aside when they were done.

Worst of all, my dad is a drunken mess on the couch. His eyes are bloodshot and glazed over, and it's clear he's struggling to stay awake. "Bean! There you are." His syllables all slur together to the point where they're nearly unintelligible. "I was wondering where you were."

I sigh and bite back tears as another piece of my heart shatters—just like it has every day I find him like this. "I was out with Kol." I whisper as I gently nudge him so he's finally laying down. "We were hanging out at the Grill."

"I don't know about that boy." He mumbles as he nuzzles his face into the pillow. "But if he's good to you, that's all that matters."

"We're not dating, Dad." I try to convince him, but I know there's no point. He won't remember this conversation in the morning. "Get some sleep. We can talk about it in the morning." My voice somehow manages to not crack, but a few stray tears fall down my face as I pull the blanket over him.

I take a moment to quietly put things back in order—organizing the papers in a stack, tossing the empty bottles, cleaning the dishes, and setting out some water and medicine for when my dad wakes up. After that, I don't bother to hesitate to leave the apartment.

Fresh air fills my lungs, and I take it in deep breaths as I walk along the empty streets of Mystic Falls. I can only imagine what Kol or Jeremy would say if they knew I did this every night. They would probably get over their differences long enough to post a guard duty on me. Although, now I'm pretty sure they're no longer friends over a much bigger difference than I had assumed.

I make it to town square without seeing another soul. The whole town is quiet, which is exactly how I like it. Empty streets are where the secrets comes to play and their keepers unknowingly give them up. At least, they give them to me without realizing it.

Maybe these nightly trips are part of the reason I never really thought Kol or my dad were crazy. I've seen some strange things the past week, and the supernatural world might be the missing piece that makes sense of it.

I slip inside the bell tower's house and start my nightly climb. Up creaking stairs, through the clouds of dust, past the gears working tirelessly, and to my spot behind the clock face, which has a crack just wide enough for me to see the central area of town.

It's the closest thing I find to peace.

Until the monsters come out, that is. The men and women who live in the shadows and come out only in search of the trouble they crave. A part of me wonders if one day, I'll be like them. Someone who searches for danger in a small town just to feel something, anything—even if one day, it may kill me.

A crack echoes across the quiet streets and snaps me out of my thoughts. Under most circumstances, I would think it was nothing, but in small, vampire filled Mystic Falls, the smallest things usually lead to the biggest secrets.

From my perch, I can hear someone's heavy breathing and a small dragging sound as they get closer. I have to lean off the ledge a fraction to finally get a glimpse of them—a short red-head in pain and stumbling down the street. Her eyes keep darting from an alleyway ahead of her to somewhere over her shoulder— from whatever she's clearly running from.

My first instinct is to run down there and help her to hide, to see how to stop whoever's following her, but the side of me that's started taking over when I came here tells me to wait, keep quiet, and watch. I adjust so that I'm on my feet with my knee propped up on the ledge, and I have a clear line of sight to what's going on.

Another loud crack sounds, which drowns out the harsh breathing and trembling of the girl. She collapses to the ground, a chunk of something sticking out of her arm. I have to squint my eyes to barely make out what it is—a wooden stake. The girl shrieks in pain and howls when her fingers wrap around it to rip it out. Although they recoil a moment later as if the piece of wood were on fire.

"There's no use in running. The next one's going in your heart." A voice calls from just outside my line of sight.

Contempt fills the red-heads face as she looks back at him with fangs bared, but from her reaction, it doesn't work as she hoped. "You wouldn't have the guts to do it, Gilbert." Every word is laced with venom and pure, undiluted hatred, but that's not what sends the shiver down my spine.

She called the man, her attacker, Gilbert. There's only one guy I know with that last name.

I want to hurl when he steps out into view. Jeremy stands there with a cold look on his face. "Don't be so sure. You've killed half a dozen people in this town. I don't think I'm going to feel bad about this." He tells her with no emotion in his voice as he raises his crossbow and fires one last stake.

Scream. Run. Get out of here. A logical part of me says, but there's the strange static in my veins that keeps me rooted to my spot. I watch as Jeremy's hard face cracks, and he visibly relaxes. Then, as if he knows someone's watching, his head swivels as his eyes analyze every shadow and corner, but they never find me up in my perch.

"What are you doing Jeremy?" I question, even though he can't hear me. Although, he takes a moment to stand in silence as he packs away his crossbow. I take the chance and head down the stairs. They creak and groan from my quick steps, but I ignore them. The front door is still cracked, exactly how I left it.

Nevertheless, something doesn't feel right. The static in my chest is practically a raging fire. My fingertips go numb from the sensation. There's a quiet click from behind me, and I instinctively turn around, extend my hands, and feel the static strengthen for a moment before fading.

There's a crashing sound ahead of me, and I step forward to find Jeremy on the other side of hole in the wall. "Ohmygosh. I am so sorry, Jer. You startled me, and I just—" I stutter, but I stop when I can't complete the sentence. What did I just do?

"How did you do that?" He questions as if he's barely even hurt. Although even he can't hide the twinges of pain as he tries to get up. "I was honestly not expecting to be thrown through a wall by you of all people."

"I don't really know how or what I just did." I tell him honestly as I do my best to get him on his feet. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"No, I'll be alright." He forces a smile on his face as we head towards the door. Then I remember, there's a dead vampire lying on the pavement just outside. Jeremy seems to have remembered her too from the look on his face. "Come on, let's go this way."

"It's okay, Jeremy. I know." I tell him as I head out the door. "I know that vampires are real, along with werewolves and witches. So, what are you?"

The question seems to throw him off for a second, but he looks down at his left hand for a moment as he speaks. "I'm a vampire hunter."

"Is that why you're always so worried about me spending time with Kol?" I continue to inquire, and he just nods as he starts his 'he's bad news,' 'Kol is dangerous,' and 'you're just gonna get yourself hurt' lecture. "He won't hurt me, Jeremy. You may know Kol Mikaelson, but I'm getting to know Kol."

"They're the same person, Lee." He sighs as he grabs my shoulder. "Kol is a Mikaelson, and Mikaelson's are the epitome of danger. You need to stay away."

"I understand your concern, but I need you to respect me enough to trust my decision." I brush his hand off and turn around to go home, but I stop in my tracks when I see her. It was a much different view from the clock tower. None of it seemed real. It was more like watching a movie from up there, but from the pavement, it's all very real.

Her red hair is billowing around her on the pavement, still bright and cheery. It makes a startling contrast to the rest of her, which is pale, grey and lifeless. Her brown eyes gaze emptily off into the distance, and I force myself to lean down and bite back the disgust long enough to close them. "She was still a person somewhere in there. It would be a shame to treat her as anything else." I whisper loud enough for Jeremy to hear me.

There's nothing else said between us as I walk down the empty streets. Once I'm sure there's enough distance between me and him, I turn into an alleyway. My back hits the wall, and I let my knees buckle as I slide down. Then, right there in a Mystic Falls alleyway, I cry and make a decision I'm sure is going to change everything.

Once my breathing becomes a bit more stable, I wipe my eyes and pull my phone out of my jacket. The familiar name dances across the screen. My head falls back against the wall as I patiently wait for the ringing to stop. I know he's still awake at this hour—he always is. "Hello, Ace." I can practically see him smirking from wherever he is. "Is this an 'I need you now' call or an 'I just wanted to hear Kol's beautiful voice' call?"

"Don't kid yourself, Mikaelson." I chuckle, but it comes out hollow and empty. "I wanted to tell you, I made my choice."

"About learning magic?" I pause and let him read between the lines. "What made you decide?"

"Nothing I want to talk about at the moment. All you need to know is, you better have a lesson ready for me tomorrow."

"I look forward to it, Ace."


	8. 8

My hands were shaking, and no matter how hard I try, nothing will make it stop. The ice in my soda clinks against the glass as I lift it to take a sip in the desperate hope the caffeine will clear my head. Although, it doesn't keep me from anxiously glancing at the door every thirteen seconds.

11:58. My watch reads for the third time. I have to remind myself to be patient. She's probably just running a bit late. After all, the drive from Whittemore takes at least a half hour without traffic. So I shouldn't let myself jump to conclusions.

"Hello, darling." Kol's all too familiar voice whispers from just outside my line of sight.

"Go away, Kol." I grumble as I grit my teeth. "My lessons officially start tonight. So there's no reason for you to pester me right now."

"Even if it is because I missed you?" He inquires as he slides into the booth next to me.

"Even if that were true, it's not a valid reason." I snap as I confine myself to the corner. I don't want to be near him right now. I can't risk touching him and seeing another flash.

I feel insane for the notion, but I haven't stopped trembling since last night's 'incident.' Then, when I was making breakfast this morning, I made the mistake of letting my hand brush my dad's as I gave him his coffee. That's when the flashes came. It was an overwhelming ache in my chest combined with quick images—a bar, an argument, a broken bottle, and, worst of all, blood.

It was a good thing my dad had a firm grip on the mug otherwise we both would have coffee burns, but right after that, I ran out of the room and puked. I told my dad it was probably just a stomach bug and that I would go get some medicine from the pharmacy before I ran out. I called Jade from the hallway crying and asked if she could meet me, which is what brought me here.

"What's wrong?" Kol inquires as he analyzes my face. "And you can't tell me it's nothing. I know something's up. You didn't call me 'Mikaelson' or 'Kol Mikaelson' for once."

"I don't want to talk about it." I whisper and focus on the water droplets running down the side of my glass instead of the way he's inching closer. A whimper escapes my lips when he reaches out to take my hand. "Please, don't touch me."

He recoils in a second. It's clear from the look on his face that he doesn't understand, but he listens to my request anyway. "Ace, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to see anything else." I cry as I press my fingers to my eyes as if that will erase the images that are still burned in my mind. "I don't want to get anymore flashes."

"Did you get a vision when you touched someone?" He questions, and I barely manage a nod. "Talk to me about it." There's a tenderness to his voice that I've never heard before, and I'm too caught up in the sound of his voice to notice that he's pulling my hands from my face. "Tell me about it, Ace. It might help."

I do.

I tell him everything.

For a split second, I thought Kol would laugh or look at me with confusion, but he never did. Instead, everything about him softens as his facade falls away. There's a tenderness to his eyes and actions as he gently brushes a piece of hair off my tear-stained cheeks. He doesn't have to say anything, because in that moment it all feels so clear.

Kol Mikaelson is nothing like I thought—like anyone thought. He's like me. A broken person who has spent their whole life pretending otherwise, and now, we've both found comfort in the knowledge that we're not alone, that there's someone who truly understands.

"Hey, I'm so sorry. I know I'm la—" Jade starts to say as she walks up to the booth, but her words cut short when she sees me crying and wrapped up in Kol's arms. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?" I barely manage to shake my head before the tears start streaming down my face again.

"I'll leave you two alone." Kol whispers as he moves to leave, but I stop him and invite him to stay. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." I mumble. Something about having Kol around right now helps me feel a little bit calmer. "Please, stay."

Jade pretends not to notice the exchange or that Kol keeps a hold of my hand underneath the table as she climbs into the booth. "Get me up to speed. I need to know everything."

"Well, you're going to think I'm crazy, but here it goes." I hold on to Kol's hand for dear life as I tremble. Breathing is a major chore as I try to piece together how to explain the past week to Jade. "You know all the weird supernatural stuff we're always talking about?" I question tentatively, and she nods her head. "Well, it's real. I know, because I'm a witch."

"Okay." There's a sense of unease to her voice, but there's a determination in her eyes that tells me her trust is winning over her doubts. "Go on."

The three of us sit there for the next hour as I try to work through how to help my dad, figure out my abilities, and what the 'vision' could have meant. "It could mean anything. Maybe it means your dad will accidentally cut himself by breaking a bottle."

I remain silent and try to convince myself that Jade is right. Maybe I shouldn't worry myself over it too much. "Just try to focus on learning about your magic." Jade encourages with a smile, but it fades when the alarm on her phone rings. "Crap. I have to get going. There's this stupid meeting I have to go to on campus."

"That's okay. Let me know when you get back?" I tell her with a weak smile as I slide out of the booth to hug her.

"Of course." She pulls me into a tight hug. The comforting scent of lavender fills my senses. "You're going to have to explain more about you and Kol later too."

I roll my eyes at her as we part ways. Kol looks at me with a small smile, but his eyes betray his thoughts. There's something on his mind, but I have no clue as to what it is. I tilt my head at him and wait for him to spill. "Would you like to go to dinner with me?" He questions after a long moment of silence as he takes a step closer to me.

My heart skips a beat, and I have to avoid looking at him to avoid turning crimson. A part of me knows that he's not asking about our usual meals. Still I question it anyway, "Isn't that what we do every night?"

"Yes, but this time will be different."

"Kol Mikaelson," I gasp with fake shock, "are you asking me on a date?"

Kol flexes his jaw for a second, and his brown eyes light up with amusement. "Yes, I am. I'll pick you up at 7."

"What makes you think I'll say 'yes'?" Of course, I was planning on agreeing, but the look on Kol's face was too perfect to miss. "I'll see you tonight. Don't be late."

I walk out of the grill feeling light hearted and—dare I say— happy. I take one last look over my shoulder to see a very flustered, excited Original, which only makes me smile all the more.


	9. 9

"Are you feeling any better, bean?" My dad asks as he knock on the door to my makeshift bedroom, which is actually his writing study. His eyes are full of concern as he looks me over for any obvious problems. It makes my heart break even further.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better. I think it was just nerves over everything going on." My voice nearly falters at the last phrase. If only he knew how much more it was than his argument with mom or my birth parents. "I'll be fine though. There's no need to worry about me."

A ghost of a smile passes across his face, but it's gone just as quickly as it came. "I'm always going to worry about you." There's a blanket of silence over us as we both try to think of what to say next. "So, what do you want for dinner? I was thinking we could order in and have a movie night?"

I look at the clock and panic. I have less than twenty minutes before Kol's coming to pick me up, and in the usual Lee fashion, I was too wrapped up in things to actually remember. "Actually, I have plans—well, a date, technically—tonight. How about tomorrow night?" I question as I rummage through my suitcase for a decent outfit. "Speaking of which, I really have to get ready. He's going to be here any minute."

"A date?" My dad asks, and I stop in my tracks at the happiness in his voice. There's a bright glimmer in his dark green eyes as he watches me scramble. "Did that Jeremy boy finally ask you out?"

"Jeremy? No." I have to bite back a chuckle at the thought. Jeremy is one of my best friends here in Mystic Falls, but I highly doubt he would ever ask me out on a date. "I'm going out with Kol. You know Kol, right?"

I can tell the immense effort it takes for my dad to not lose the smile. The glimmer doesn't fade when he notices how nervous I am, which has always been my telltale sign. "Yeah, I remember him. He seems like a—decent—guy."

"Dad, I really like this one. So, don't go too hard on him?" I ask as I lead him out of my room. Although, he 'makes no promises,' I know he'll do it for me.

The moment the door closes, I scramble to get dressed and ready. Of course, I'm not usually one to spend hours on my appearance, but it would have been nice to look a bit nicer than normal for my first date with Kol. Because, if I'm being honest with myself, I really like him, and the thought of tonight makes me pretty nervous.

Of course, this isn't my first date, but it's by far the first one that has had me this flustered. Charlie Beaumont definitely didn't make me this nervous, but then again that was the worst first date known to humanity. I mean, I should have known it was doomed the moment he gave me a list of places he had coupons to.

Nevertheless, I'm sure Kol has a much better plan in mind knowing him.

I take one last look in the mirror to double check that I'm not a complete mess. Well, on the outside at least. "Bean, you're date's here." My dad calls from the other side of the door, and I swear every ounce of blood rushes to my cheeks at my nickname. Even without vampire hearing, Kol would have had no trouble hearing it.

"Thanks, dad." I force on a smile as I open my door and kiss my dad's cheek goodbye. "Don't wait up for me. I don't know how long we'll be." Kol waits for me in the hall. His usual leather jacket is taught against his arms as he crosses them and pushes off the doorframe. I have to pause for a moment when I realize he never bothered to convince or compel his way inside. "I hope you weren't waiting out here too long." I stutter as we leave with my father's green eyes watching our every step.

"No. Believe it or not, I was actually on time." He teases, and after a quick look over his shoulder to make sure we're out of sight, takes my hand in his as we walk. I can't help but roll my eyes at him. "You look radiant, by the way."

"I look decent at best, and we both know that." I send a glare towards him, but it has no effect other than to make him smile. "Why do you always do that? You always smile whenever I argue with you."

"Because, it's not very often that someone has the guts to argue with me other than my siblings." Kol chuckles and the sound sends a shiver down my spine. My eyes can't help but focus on him, the radiance in his smile, the laughter lines that enhance his charming features. It's everything that makes me feel a little bit weak in the knees and are the subtle glimpses at the real Kol.

Unfortunately, Kol notices my staring. I clear my throat as I start to walk a little bit faster so he doesn't notice the way I can no longer meet his eyes. A blanket of silence wraps itself around us until I have to speak to stave off the smothering feeling. "So, tell me about your siblings."

"They're rather boring. Isn't there something else you would rather talk about?"

"I guess." My fingers twitch as a random question pops into my head. "How did you become a vampire?" The second the words escape my lips, I can see the line I've crossed. Kol tries to hide it, but his whole body language is altered for a split second. His shoulders tense, stride stumbles, eyes cloud over, and his lips become a thin line. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't be asking so many questions."

"It's alright, darling. I'm just not used to being asked." His hand once again finds mine, and his fingers lace through mine. "I promise I will tell you some time. I just don't really think it's a conversation topic for a first date."

"True, death isn't usually a great 'get to know more' topic." I chuckle and bite my lip. "Why don't you ask me some questions?"

"If you insist. How did you not know—" His voice drops off suddenly as he glares at something over my shoulder. I follow his eyes to a guy with dark hair and a leather jacket leaned against a brick wall.

Normally, I would think nothing of it, but something about his gaze is unsettling. Even from this distance, it's clear that he's watching us. Although, his eyes are focused on me like a hungry predator looking at his next meal.

"Kol, who is that?" My voice comes out uneven and nearly cracks. The stranger's face reflects a ghost of a smile. In that moment, I feel ice water running through my veins. All around him is a darkness, unlike anything I've ever seen before, and I realize the answer. "He's a vampire." There's a sense of strength at my comment.

"Yes, he is, but he's not someone you need to worry about." Kol's hand gently squeezes mine as he leans down to whisper. "I'm going to go take care of this, but I need you to do me a favor. When I leave, walk away and go directly to our usual place. Don't stop for anyone or anything. Understood?"

I barely manage a nod as I look up at his deep brown eyes, which are full with worry. "I understand." I whisper back and return his look with a faint smile. "I'll see you soon." It's a statement, as much to reassure him as for me.

Kol's footsteps echo through the empty street as he approaches the dark stranger, whose eyes are reluctant to leave me. I wait until he's no longer looking before I hold my head high and turn down the opposite street. All the while, a feeling of dread is clawing its way through my body. I don't need magic or premonition to tell me—something very bad is going to happen.


	10. 10

My sneaker make slight crunching noises against the pavement as I walk. I keep my hands dug deeply into my pockets, and my eyes jump from one shadow to the next for any lurking dangers. Because the tug in the back of my mind tells me something is waiting for me.

I turn the corner, and the figures at the end of street make me skid to a stop. I don't recognize any of them, but the static in my palms tells me they're trouble. Unfortunately, they're blocking the sidewalk and my way past.

I change directions and try to cross to the other side of the street. Unfortunately, the creepy loners appear in front of me and once again block my path. "Where you going, sweet cheeks?" One calls out as he runs next to me.

"As far away from the smell of teenage filth and herbal aroma as possible." I force myself to bite back the fear, but it escapes when the guy grabs my wrist harshly. My phone clatters to the ground as I try to twist my arm away from him, but he holds on tightly.

"Come with us. We can show you a great time." Another one whisper far too close to me as they drag me kicking and screaming into an alley.

"Let go of me, creep." I growl through clenched teeth. The three of them just chuckle and pass around a bottle wrapped around in a brown paper bag. The alcohol creates a massive stench in their air and on their breath. I bite my tongue and wait for one of them to get close enough to hurt them and run.

"Oh, princess, relax." One of them chuckles, and I notice his eyes darken as veins and fangs appear.

"Figures, you're a vampire." I scoff. He just smiles villainously as he steps closer and leans toward my neck. My body shivers in fear, despite my attempts to stay strong and brave.

Although, I can't ignore the strange feeling running through my veins, and when the vampire touches my skin, he reels back in pain. My muscles feel a sudden surge of energy, which allows me to break free.

Luckily, Kol had gotten far enough in showing me magic as to how to cause any supernatural creature massive pain, but I decide to test another theory first. "You just need to relax, princess." I joke as I put my hand on the first vampires shoulder, and to my surprise, it continues to cause him pain and give me power. The strangest part is when his fingers start to become grey and still.

"Stop." He begs, but a part of me is too curious to let go just yet. The veins and desiccation spread over his body rapidly, and he barely manages to whisper. "I'm sorry. Please, stop."

I can't, and I don't until it's too late.

The vampire lays there, lifeless and grey. Clearly more dead than he already was. His 'friends' run away without so much as a glance over their shoulders. I, on the other hand, remain with my feet glued to ground and hands trembling with fear and energy.

My mind doesn't even register me walking over to a corner and heaving. All it knows is that he's dead. He's gone forever, and it's all because of me.

Tears stream down my face as I run away, like a coward and criminal. I don't know where I'm heading, but I know for sure that it's as far away from that alley as I can get.

I make it another three blocks before the fates decide they can still be crueler to me. I run right into someone's chest and recoil shrieking at the touch— from the fear that I will hurt someone else. Hands grab my shoulders. Calloused fingertips brush against my arms, and I finally stop fighting when I realize who it is. "Jeremy?" My voice comes out strangled and weak.

"Lee? Is everything alright? Were you crying?" Jeremy questions as he leans down to catch my eyes. I hastily try to rub away the evidence that any tears fell, but they just keep falling.

"I'm fine. I just had a run in with a vampire." I pry his hands away from me and start walking down the street. "I was just heading home."

Unfortunately, Jeremy doesn't want me to get by that easily. He grabs my wrist to stop me, but quickly lets go when he sees me flinch. "Lee, what happened? You have to tell me."

"If you wondering if I got hurt, I didn't. The vampire is dead, that's all you need to know." I snap as I turn and take off down the street. He shouts after me, but I can't hear him over the sound of my rushing heart and shaky breaths.

The apartment is empty when I stumble in a sobbing mess. If I wasn't crying already, I would have started at the relief of not having to explain to my dad why I'm like this after my 'date.' I reach for my phone instinctively to tell Kol I'm safe, but all my pockets are empty. Then I remembered it clattering to the ground before— what happened.

I barely manage to trudge over to the couch before I collapse. My knees pulled up to my chest, face buried in a pillow, and the images flashing through my head.

A knock at the door echoes through the apartment, and I stay put in the hopes they'll simply leave. Instead, they keep on knocking. "I know you're in there, darling. I can hear you." Kol's voice rings in my ears.

I wipe my eyes and pray that he won't notice my red eyes as I stand up. The door creaks on its hinges. "What do you want?"

"Have you been crying?" Are the first words from Kol's mouth when he sees me. "Is everything okay?"

"No, but I don't really feel like talking about it. So tell me, why are you here?" My voice has a much harsher edge than I expected it, but I don't bother to apologize.

"I just came to make sure you were safe. You never showed up, and I was—worried. Plus, I found this in front an alley." He watches me carefully as he passes me my phone, and I barely manage to look at his hands as I take it. Especially since it's clear he saw the body. There's no way he could have missed it if he found my phone and was looking for me. "Grab your jacket." I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off before I can mutter a syllable. "No arguments."

"There's no way you're letting me say no, are you?"

"Not a chance, Ace."

"This way. I found a great path through the woods a couple days ago." I meekly smile back at Kol, who has been doing his best to help me forget today's horrors. "It leads to this beautiful quarry and waterfall."

"Whatever you say, darling." There's a long pause between us before Kol speaks up again. "So are you finally admit what you were crying about earlier?"

"No, I don't feel like talking about it." I scoff bitterly when I catch his wary looks. Right now, it's the last thing I want to talk about.

"Ace, I saw the body."

"I figured as much."

"How—?" The rest of the thought is lost as Kol still scrambles to put it into a coherent sentence.

"How did I kill him? I don't know." I reply as I watch my boots turn the leaves on the ground to dust. "I just touched him, and the next thing I know, he's desiccated on the ground and his friends were running."

"You touched him? That's it?" Kol questions as he analyzes everything about me. My shaky hand move to the leather cord around my neck and fiddle with the silver band on it. The constant static in my palms has grown to needles in my skin since the incident, which cause my fingers to twitch and tremble. "Why are you shaking?"

"I don't know." I sigh and feel more like a broken record with each question. "After I—I—there was this surge of energy. Anytime I use my magic, it feels like static, but this was different. It didn't feel like normal. It was almost like the more he desiccated the stronger the magic was. Now, it won't go away." I want to smack myself for sounding so childish and whiny. Kol moves to take my hand, but I recoil. "Don't touch me. I don't want you to get hurt. I killed someone today, and all I did was touch him. I'm a monster."

"You are certainly not a monster. If anyone is the monster, it would be me." Kol sighs and pulls me into his chest. Despite the sense of comfort I feel in his embrace, it does nothing to ease my guilt or anxiety in my chest.

"I can't do this. If this is what magic does, I don't want it anymore. I don't want this feeling, or the power that came from hurting him. It's too much, Kol."

"You're stronger than this, darling. If anyone can do this it's you." He pulls back and forces me to look him in the eyes. "Let me help you with this."

I barely manage a nod as I let myself fall into Kol's arms. The extra energy–the fire in my veins– slowly subsides as I focus on one thing—him. Every thought is directed towards Kol. The way he's finally being genuine, his caring gestures, and how I feel safe and strong for the first time in an eternity.

The shaking in my arms and hands finally slows down as the static feeling calms down. "Lee, what did you just do?" Panic rises in my throat at the distressed sound of Kol's voice.

"Is everything okay? Are you hurt?" Questions tumble off my tongue faster than my brain can think them. "Please, tell me I didn't hurt you."

"Quite the contrary, darling." Kol smiles–genuinely smiles at me, and before I know what's happening, his lips are on mine for the briefest moment. It passes in a flurry, and I genuinely wish that moment could have lasted much longer.

"What? What happened?"

I watch in amusement as Kol practically tumbles over his own feet to clear a spot on the ground and leaves one leaf in the middle of it. "I want you to make it levitate."

"Are you serious? I can do that in my sleep." I roll my eyes as I speak, but I focus on the leaf and do as instructed.

Kol wait for the leaf to settle back on the ground before he focuses on it. Then, he mutters the spell like it's his greatest wish.

My heart nearly stops as it starts to levitate. "How did you–? I thought vampires couldn't do magic?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I never thought I'd be able to do that again." Kol whispers as a genuine smile comes across his face. His fist open and close like he's trying to get comfortable with the rush surging through his palms. It's the rush I've come to know all too well. "I haven't done any magic in a thousand years."

"Do you think has something to do with–" my throats closes around the words. "–with what I did to that guy?"

"It's unlikely, but we can't rule it out." Kol tells me and reaches for my hand across the table. "Either way, it's something else for you to learn how to control."

"Is that your way of saying you'll stick around to help?" I ask him, but I don't get a reply. Instead, Kol simply sidesteps the question entirely.

Kol looks at me, and I can barely read the emotions in his face— fear, sadness, and something else. "Let's get you home, Ace." Is all he says before he turns on his heels and leaves.

"It's Lee." I call as I catch up to him. "My name is Lee."

"So you do have a name." He chuckles and shakes his head. "I assume I finally did something to earn your trust?"

"Yes, you did, Kol Mikaelson, but you have a long way to go for anything else."

"How far do I have to go for you to consider giving me another chance at dinner?" Kol questions and even with his classic smirk; there's a sense of vulnerability to his voice.

"We'll see, Mikaelson." I reply with a genuine smile. "We'll see."


	11. 11

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Kol questions for the millionth time as he leans against the doorframe of my apartment.

"No, but I'll do my best." I tell him with a sigh. "Goodnight."

"Night, Lee." Kol grins from ear to ear as he watches me enter my apartment. Although, he makes no move to leave just yet.

I roll my eyes at him as I walk inside and shut the door behind me. My head falls against the door, and I try not to smile. Despite every bad thing that happened tonight, there was some good. I have to remind myself of that as I pass through the apartment.

There's a stutter to my stride when I hear mangled breathing. I walk into my dad's bedroom to find him like I usually do these days, with a bottle in his hand and bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes. His gaze is fixed on the hardwood floor and remains on the one spot even as the door closes. "Dad, we need to talk."

"I know, Lee. I–"

"No. I need to say this before I lose my chance." I shift my weight between my feet, and take a deep breath before starting the speech I've rehearsed in my head a hundred times. Tonight can't get any worse, so I might as well get this over with now.

"I know you're in pain right now, but I want you to know that I can handle you talking about it. In fact, that would be much easier for me to handle than coming here at one in the afternoon to find you drunk and beaten because you got in a fight. It hurts me more than you and mom splitting up.

"Please, you have to talk to me about this stuff. My heart wants to break when I see you like this. If you need me to stay here longer than I can. Because I can't leave until I know you're okay on your own. I already called Jade and told her I'll be here for a little bit longer, and she understands. None of it means anything unless you let me help you, Dad. Please, just let me in." Tears are streaming down my face with each word, and I know he's not looking at me to avoid more of his guilt.

When he finally meets my eyes, his eyes are filled with tears. His voice comes out weak and shaming as he speaks. "I'll do my best, Lee. It's just, I've loved your Mom since I was your age, and I still do. I just want her back, but I don't know if that will happen. She's still upset at me for things long past."

I sigh as I realize there are more secrets they're still keeping from me, and now, he's practically given up on everything. The fabric of the cushions makes a rumbling noise as I sit down next to him.

"You and Mom have always had your differences and always will. That doesn't mean you two can't work through whatever is going on between you two. It might just take a bit of time before that happens, but I firmly believe it will."

"How did I get so lucky as to have a kid like you?" He soberly chuckles as he wraps an arm around my shoulder.

"I like to think that I had some really great parents." I reply and wrap him in a hug. "I'm going to turn in for the night. Breakfast in the morning?"

"Sounds good, bean." He smiles and turns on the television, which I know he'll use to distract himself from his thoughts for the rest of the night.

Another week went by in a jumbled mess of anxiety, laughter, and everything in between.

Kol and I continued on as friends. The disastrous attempt at a first day was our sign that maybe we should let things settle down a bit before getting involved, but it couldn't keep us from acting like a couple on dates every night. We just both pretend it's under the title of 'friends.'

"Wait, so you and Kol are spending time together? Please, tell me you're going out with him." Jade squeals as she wiggles her eyebrows at me through my computer screen.

"No, we're barely friends right now." I lie as I scroll through my Instagram feed. "He's helping me with research for a story. I mean, Kol still hasn't really opened up. I've barely learned anything about him these past weeks. Plus, you know I can't let myself get hurt again."

"Sweetie, I know that better than anyone, and all this drama doesn't help you. That doesn't mean you can't give him a chance. Give him the chance to see the real him before you make any decisions." Jade pauses for a second as she tilted her head to the side with a devious grin. "Plus, if he ever hurts you, I'll kick his butt into oblivion."

"I know, and it's one of the many reasons your my best friend." The knock at the door interrupts our conversation, and I tell Jade to wait for a moment while I answer it.

"Hello, darling." Kol smiles as he leans against the doorframe.

"Don't worry, J. It's just Kol." I call over my shoulder to my open computer, where Jade is sitting with a knowing grin. "Let me just grab my jacket, and I'll be ready to go."

"Oooh. Are you two finally going on a date?" Jade questions, to which I roll my eyes.

"Goodbye, Jade." I giggle as I log off and shut my computer. Then I notice Kol still is waiting at the door. "Why are you–?"

"I'm a vampire, darling. Or did you forget?"

I avoid looking at him so he doesn't get the satisfaction of knowing he's right. For a moment, I forgot he was one of the famed 'Originals' as the Mikaelson's are referred to. "Well, I hope you like the view from the doorway, because it's the only one you're getting. I'm officially declaring this apartment a no vampire zone."

"Why would you ever want to do that?" He teases as I meet him in the hallway. "I thought for sure you would be the perfect hostess to everyone."

"Flattery isn't going to get you anywhere. I sleep better with the knowledge that you can't come into the place where I sleep anytime you like. It's my Kol-free space."

Kol clutches a hand to his chest and feigns injury. "That hurts, darling. It truly hurts."

"I didn't realize originals were so wimpy." I tease as I nudge him with my shoulder as we walk. "So what's the plan for tonight?"

"I was thinking our usual spot at the Grill, if that's alright with you." I nod and smile up at him as we walk along the street. The entire way, Kol and I talk about nothing and everything. "You are so much different than I ever expected you to be."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

"A very good thing." That's all he says as he takes my hand. My heart stutters at his touch, which was something I never expected to happen. Kol obviously notices the change in my heart rate because a smirk emerges across his face. Sometimes I really hate vampires and their crazy good hearing.

"You know, you're different than I expected–without your mask I mean." I comment not really thinking about what I'm saying. "Why didn't you let me see it sooner? Is it so bad that you could be kind or care?"

"Maybe, it depends on who I care about."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask him, but he doesn't get the chance to answer before a round of shouting echoes through the crowded restaurant.

One familiar voice stands out in the argument. A shiver runs down my spine, and I feel ice water running through my veins. My dad's words are slurred and jumbled against the chaos in the restaurant. Multiple shouts are mingling together, and my own voice adds into the mix as I shove my way through the tables.

Two men are standing beside the bar. One is clearly drunk, and the other, while likely buzzed, keeps a tight grip on his glass. Both of them are in the others faces shouting about nonsense only they understand. Neither of them notice my approach until I step in between them.

"Move aside, princess. This doesn't involve you." The dark haired stranger, who seems so familiar for some reason, seethes in my face.

"Yes, it does." I push him aside as I turn to my dad. "Two days you've been sober, dad. Now I find out, you could only make it one week before you got drunk and started a fight?"

He shifts his jaw and avoids looking at me. "Lee, it–I–"

"Go home. We can talk about this later." I tell him with a sigh and run my hand through my hair.

I assumed that would be the end of it. Although, the stranger didn't get the message. "This isn't over. Or would you rather deal with what he started?" I turn on my heels to face him, and the darkness of his gaze makes me nauseated. He grins like a Cheshire as he moves a hand to stroke my hair.

I quickly grip his wrist with a tight grip. "Don't. Mess. With. Me." I growl, but my anger stops immediately when I notice the ashen, deathly look on his fingertips.

My hand releases of its own accord, and I rush back to the table with Kol. "I need to get out of here." I try to keep my breathing steady as a fresh wave of tears comes to my eyes. "I need to leave." My feet move without me as I run out of the grill with tears streaming down my face.

Each breath I take feels like I'm trying to inhale through a coffee straw. The lights from the Grill all seem blindingly bright, sounds make my eardrums pound, and my head is all foggy. I shut my eyes as tight as I can in an effort to push it all away. "Lee, you have to breath." Kol's voice fades in and out, and I struggle to process what he's saying.

He quickly realizes that simply talking me down from a panic attack isn't going to work. Instead, his arms quickly wrap around me and holds me against his chest with all his considerable strength.

My lungs are forced to release the small amount of air inside them. Afterwards, they find it much easier to accept the oxygen they crave. "I almost did it again." I sob into his chest. "I nearly hurt someone else. What am I supposed to do? I mean, I clearly can't control it. I'm not strong enough for this."

I push away from him before I start walking down the street. There is no specific destination in mind. As long as I'm away from anyone I can hurt, I'll be fine. "You really think you can just run away from your problems?" Kol asks as he catches up with me, and I ignore him. He sighs and grabs my hand. "Let's go."

"Go where?" I question too tired to fight him right now.

"Away. If you want to run from your problems for a night, then I'm going to help." He tells me, and for a split second, there's a flash of pain in his eyes. He doesn't say anything, which I am immensely grateful for.

Instead, he shocks me in a way I never saw coming. I guess, what throws me off most is the kiss. Kol's lips on mine in a breathless moment that makes forget for a split second why I was crying.

It's the kind of kiss you see in Hollywood movies or imagine that perfect moment. The one that makes your heart swell and knees weak. When we part, I look at Kol in shock unable to process what just happened.

Instead of speaking, he effortlessly scoops me into his arms and takes me back to his house. I continue to wipe away tears as my knees buckle beneath me. "You're going to be alright, darling." He whispers as he passes me one of his shirts and a pair of sweats before giving me a moment to change.

"Thank you." My voice falters as he pulls his soft duvet up over my shoulders. "Are you going to stay?" I ask and want to slap myself for sounding so pathetic. Although, Kol doesn't seem to notice as he lays down on the mattress next to me, and his arm snake around my waist to pull me into his chest. "Don't leave." Is all I manage to say before my eyelids grow heavy.

The last thing my brain registers is Kol kissing the top of my head and barely whispering, "I don't plan on it."


	12. 12

My phone keeps blaring on the bedside table, which causes me to groan and pull the pillow over my head. I blindly reach out and slap my phone until it finally shuts up.

Then I start drifting back asleep. Well, until I remember where I am and whose arm is wrapped around my waist. If he wasn't holding on to me with an iron grip, I would very likely get up and hit my head against the wall. How on earth could I be so stupid as to let this happen?

There's no denying it now, Jade was right. She saw the one thing I couldn't. The thing my pride was shielding from me. Even worse, Jade knew exactly what it would take for me to realize the truth. I'm falling for Kol Mikaelson, and it's all because he finally showed me a piece of the real him.

I let my head fall against the pillow and mentally force my head to clear. It doesn't work as effectively as I hoped. All I can think about is the burning touch of Kol's hand brushing against my arm. How I can feel his breath fanning against the back of my neck. The way that I feel so calm knowing he's there, but the same thought also sends my heart racing.

Although, my heart wants to stop when I remember all of the past couple days' events. Finding my dad had one too many scotches, the new ability I didn't know about, and the lack of control I have over everything.

I, Ophelia Valette Mitchell, killed someone and nearly did it again.

The mere thought is all it takes to turn me into a shaking, blubbering mess. I pull myself out of Kol's tight grip and run out of his room in search of somewhere I can breathe. It doesn't register in my mind that he's now awake, and I'm also in the same house as the rest of the originals, who will likely be wondering who's crying at this early hour. None of it matters to me.

My hands rest on my weak knees as I stare down at the grass under my feet. I never knew how much effort could be used to simply take a breath before. Footsteps echo through the garden as I struggle for air–for anything to real to hold on to. "Are you alright, love?" Klaus's voice holds a tone of concern and worry I never expected to hear from him.

My mouth opens up to form the simple phrase, but my tongue is practically lead. "I'm fine." The words are unconvincing and horse from my raw throat. "I just needed to get some air."

"No, you're not. What happened?" There's a pause as he looks over my appearance. Messy hair, red-rimmed eyes, and Kol's clothes. "Did Kol do something?"

"No. No, it's nothing like that." I quickly stutter out. If there's one thing I have learned in my brief time of knowing Kol and Klaus, is that they both can be very temperamental. "He didn't do anything. This is about something I did." There's a long drawn out moment between us while Klaus waits for me to explain. "I-I-a guy is dead because of me."

For a split second, I half expected Klaus to laugh at me. He's the original hybrid after all. The skeletons he has stashed away could fill the whole mansion behind us.

Although, a large part of me knows he's not what everyone claims. That theory is proven correct when he sighs and sits me on the steps with an arm around my shoulder. For the next few minutes, he lets me cry into his chest. He doesn't ask me what happened, if I want to talk about it, or anything at all.

"It was an accident." I manage to mumble. "I didn't mean for it to happen, but I felt so strong after I did. It was like I was invincible. For a split second, I was strong." I push away from Klaus and wipe my eyes. "Now, I just keep playing it over in my head and wonder. What if that guy had friends? A family? Someone who cared about him? How am I supposed to live with this? Could it have really been different if I had let go?"

"Yes, it would have." Kol's voice echoes from the doorway. His expression and demeanor are guarded, and I know he's back to being a piece of the person he shows the world. "You would have died. Honestly, he was one of the bad vampires. One without remorse for what he's done and thinks of it as a game. It's not your fault you refused to be a chew toy." Kol sounds impassive as he speaks, but I can see in his eyes there's something more. "Like you said, it was an accident, darling."

I meekly nod my head, but I inside I'm arguing every point against him. My anxiety loves to put me down and convince me I'm a monster. Logic tells me I'm not, but that doesn't mean anxiety doesn't hold its own. "I should probably go. I need to check in on my dad." I mumble as I walk through the house and out the front door.

"At least let me drive you back?" Kol asks as he stops in front of me.

"No, I need the fresh air."

"If you insist." He shrugs and walks along with me. His hand finds my own in the pale morning light, and our arms swing together as we walk with intertwined hands.

I bite my lip in thought. The silence makes things feel peaceful. It's a glaring contrast to the chaos going on in my head. There's something I know has to happen, or at least should happen, if I'm going to get through all of this. I just hate that it will likely hurt some people in the process, but all wounds heal eventually. Forgiveness can be earned, and tears can be mended.

"So, are we going to talk about what happened? Not the glaringly obvious thing." I pause as my free hand fiddled with the hem of Kol's borrowed shirt. "Why did you kiss me?"

"That was–"

"Don't say a mistake. We both know it wasn't." Kol gives me a sideways glance, but I ignore it. "At least, I hope it wasn't."

"Why do you hope that?" His smile is teasing, and there's a devious glint in his eyes.

"Is your offer of dinner still on the table?" Kol's smile grows so wide, I nearly expected his face to split. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm just willing to give you a chance. There's just one condition: we have to be real with each other. In fact, I'll tell you another piece of information about myself that I keep hidden. Another piece of the person the world sees."

"And what would that be exactly."

"My last name. It carries its own weight, like a non-supernatural version of Mikaelson."

"So your family is important and highly renowned."

"Precisely. I'm a Mitchell, as in Mitchell Industries. They own pharmaceutical companies, clean living stores, most of the big name companies, and multiple franchises. Anything the Mitchell's want, they get. It also means, people have tried to use me to do the same. It's a lot to live up to, and part of the reason I decided to give you a chance in the first place."

"Well, you don't have to worry about me, darling. I'm a Mikaelson, which means I get what I go after. It also means that I understand better than anyone." Once again, I watch as the walls around Kol tumble to the ground. To an outsider, we look like two teens talking about nonsense, but we're really two messed up people who finally found understanding.

We wait outside the apartment building. I refuse to go inside just yet. There's one last thing I need to do before I go. "Kol, there's something I need to talk to you about." Worry flickers in Kol's eyes when he hears the distress in my voice. "Don't be mad, and please, let me finish. I'm going to leave for a little while. I made a promise to Jade–and more importantly to myself– about so many things. I told her I would be at our apartment in a few days, but it's been a lot longer than that.

"I told myself, I was staying here to help my dad, but I think I'm only making things harder for him. Plus, I think some time away from Mystic Falls will help me. There's something I need to do, and I can't do it here.

"So, here's where I need you to really listen. If you want, you can come visit me as often as you want. It's only a half hour away. I just have one thing to ask. Will you watch out for my dad? He's not coping well, and he really needs someone to keep an eye on him."

"Of course, I'll come visit you as often as I can and will watch out for him. You just have to promise me something in return."

"What?"

"That you will call me whenever you need me and will let me help you with your little mission."

"I can agree to that." I smile up at him and plant a quick kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you soon, Kol Mikaelson."

"I look forward to it, Lee Mitchell." He chuckles as he places a kiss on the back of my hand. I return the smile before I walk into the building.

"Later, Jack."

"Right back at you, Ace." I can't stop smiling the whole way up to the apartment. Life may be grim, but it does have its moments. I'm immensely glad mine have people who make them worth sharing with.


	13. 13

I swore a piece of me withered away the moment I drove away from Mystic Falls. Jade noticed it, but she still welcomed me with a warm smile. The apartment was perfect, and I'm sad to say it didn't stay that way for long before I became a tornado raging through it.

"Jade? Have you seen that file I had yesterday? You know, the pink one with—" I call as I search through our makeshift living rooms messy paper piles, but I stop when I notice Jade watching with the file in her hand. "Thank you! I've been looking for that all day."

I move to take it from her, but she holds it back. "We need to talk before I give you this." Jade tells me with a pained look in her eyes as she looks over me. I instinctively do the same. All I see is a baggy sweatshirt, the same sweatpants I've had on since yesterday, and a glance in the mirror shows the messy hair and face that haven't been properly washed since Monday.

"Honey, you know I see you like a little sister. So what I'm about to say is with that love, but what happened to you?" My breath hitches in my throat. I couldn't find the stomach to tell her what I had done in Mystic Falls, about Kol, the vampire, or any of the major developments since we last spoke. "You're throwing yourself into your search in an unhealthy way. You barely eat, don't sleep, or function outside of looking. When was the last time you checked your phone?"

I think back over the week since I've been here in a desperate search for something to contest her argument, but I come back empty handed. She's right. I haven't touched my phone since I walked in the door, and I haven't been doing much except obsess over finding my birth parents. Still, I can't find the words to explain to her why.

I wish I could.

I want nothing more than to explain to her why it's so important to me. That I need to know so I can figure out how to control my magic, and every time I try to use a locator spell on the ring my dad gave me from my father, nothing happens. I've attempted it a hundred times. I kept the candles burning until there was nothing left and pushed myself until my nose bleeds from the strain. Every time it's the same result. I can't even feel the typical static feeling of the magic in my fingertips anymore.

"Kol's worried about you, too." Jade tells me with a soft knowing smile. I pretend not to notice the way my heart speeds up at his mention or how my chest hurts at the thought of Mystic Falls. "I think you should go back."

"What?" I question incredulously. "I thought you wanted me here?"

"I do, Lee. I really do, but you're not happy here. Things may be crazy in Mystic Falls, but I can tell you're more content. Plus, I have no idea how to help you. Kol does."

"I bet you're just saying that so you can officially get your ship together." I chuckle as I try to pretend her words don't ring true. Jade just chuckles a confirmation of the theory. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I'll be fine on my own, but you need to go back. Something tells me they need you there more than I do." There's a far off look in her eye as she says it. Jade's judgement and intuition is nothing to be argued with. She's not psychic, but she's as close as a normal person can get.

I wipe the tears from my eyes as I wrap her in a tight hug. "You're the best friend a girl could hope for. I'm gonna miss you even more."

"I'll miss you too. Now, here. You know what you need to do." She presses my phone into my palm as she walks off to pack my stuff up.

I have to smile for a second. She's right. I do know what I need to do. I don't need the sound of his voice making me smile to tell me that. "Ace! Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." I pause for a beat as I look back at the scattered papers behind me. It's one thing I'm not gonna miss. Then a thought comes to my mind in the middle of Kol's rant. "Is that offer of a date still on the table?"

A long moment of silence spans between us, and I almost bite my lips in fear that I misstepped. "Of course. I'll meet you at the Grill at 8."

"See you then." I hang up and run back to Jade. "I need an outfit. I've got a date."

Eight o' clock on the dot. I was planted in my usual spot of the Mystic Grill. My feet tapped an anxious beat against the floor as I waited. Then Kol slid into the booth across from me. For a moment, it felt like normal. Except, this time was very different, and both of us knew it.

Although we went through the usual routine we always have, the conversation eventually turned. "Tell me something no else knows about you." I smile at Kol, who keeps reaching for my hand but stops himself each time. "I want to know a secret you've never said out loud."

A chuckle escapes from his lips. It rings through the restaurant over the music pouring out from the speakers. "Let me see..." A dazzling smirk plays across his lips as he slides into the booth next to me. "I thoroughly enjoy playing the piano."

"How is that a secret?"

"No one knows about it. Therefore it's a secret." His chocolate brown eyes meet my own, and as stupid as it sounds, I swore my body turned to jello under his gaze. "Now, tell me something I don't know about you."

"My real name is Ophelia." I pause for a moment to soak up the sound of Kol's laugh and continue. "It's what Lee is short for. My full name is actually Ophelia Valette Mitchell. I hate it."

"Why? It's beautiful." Kol takes a moment to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, and I find myself unconsciously leaning into his touch. We both watch each other in silence for a long moment. It was like we were too scared to make a move for the fear that the other would simply disappear. "What are you doing to me, Lee Mitchell? I swear, I'm not the same person around you."

"I'm not either, but is it really such a bad thing?" I find my eyes drifting over his face and studying everything about him. "Isn't it better to have someone you can be yourself around? A person you don't have to pretend when you're near them?"

"Yes, I think it is better." There's a moment when his eyes drift away from my own and down to my lips. Then a split second later, he's back to being his normal self. "I probably should tell you that you nearly gave Klaus a fright by not talking to us for so long."

"And what would Klaus care if I called or not?"

"Because he's started to take a liking to you. I'm pretty sure he feels like he needs to protect you from me." Kol chuckles and grabs my hand across the table. "He wanted me to let you know you're welcome to stay at the mansion if—" Kol's voice drops away as he realizes he nearly said too much, but I've already caught on.

"If what? Is something wrong with my dad?"

"No, it was merely an offer if things were too much." I don't believe him for a second, but I don't want to ruin tonight with petty bickering. So I drop the subject as we continue on with our date.

It wasn't Hollywood perfect, but neither is our relationship. The two of us together resemble a massive thunderstorm—powerful, messy, and beautiful. Even now, as both of stand so closely outside the apartment building, I don't want it to ever end. "What are you thinking about?" Kol asks with one of his lopsided smiles.

"About how I don't want to leave yet." I mumble with burning red cheeks. "Things always get messed up, but this isn't. It's real and comforting and honest. Every time I walk away, something happens that changes everything. For once, I want it to stay like this."

"Things have to change. It's how they get better." Kol tells me as he brushes a piece of hair back from my eyes. "If things didn't change, moments like these wouldn't be so precious."

"I know, but—" I look into his deep brown eyes, and feel contentment and bravery hit me like a wave. "—there's one more thing I need to do before anything has a chance to change." I whisper as I pull him closer by the front of his leather jacket and kiss him.

I kiss him, and in that second, everything is perfect and flawed.


	14. 14

I stare up at the apartment building. Brick walls with small little balconies littered across it, and nearly a hundred people's lives being lived inside of it. My dad is one of those lives. The last I saw, he was drowning himself in his own sorrow and pity. Papers were scattered across the floors, the sound of his snores echoing through the walls, and a sense of heartbreak every time I saw it.

I can't do it. I know I should, but I can't bring myself to step towards the building. Kol seems to sense my reluctance. "You said there was a room for me?" I question, to which Kol nods. "I hope you won't mind having me around for awhile, Mikaelson." It's half-hearted at best in its effort, but Kol laughs all the same.

"I don't think I could ever mind having you around." Kol smiles and takes my hand as we walk away from the building. "Klaus is going to be thrilled to see you again."

Unfortunately, Klaus was too preoccupied with other things to be excited about my return.

The whole mansion is buzzing with life when Kol and I enter, but the group of people take no notice of us. They're too caught up in arguing to notice anything not in front of their noses. Kol stiffens next to me and ushers me further into the foyer where no one can see us.

Nevertheless, I got a glimpse of the group—Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah, Finn, who I all recognize based off resemblance to Kol and glimpses of from around the mansion, and one woman I can't identify. "What's going on?"

Kol holds a finger to his lips and whispers, "I was hoping they wouldn't be here just yet. Go upstairs, darling. I'll be there shortly."

I want to argue, to ask why, and refuse to leave without an explanation, but the anxiety in Kol's expression hushes those urges. So I quietly adjust my duffle bag on my shoulder and sneak upstairs.

Kol's room is exactly as I had remembered it. The only thing that changed was the added stack of grimoires at his desk. It's almost as if he expected me to come visit soon. I decide to pass the time by flipping through the grimoires and studying some of the spells.

Even that couldn't drown out the shouts and clattering from downstairs. I had to press my hand to my ear to eventually make the ringing in my head loud enough to overcome it. It reminded me too much of the many nights full of screaming and shouting between my parents. Mostly about something that had been brewing for a couple weeks, me, or anything that irritated the other into snapping.

The thought of it alone is enough to bring the pressure behind my eyes and a throbbing through my head. I resolve to doing nothing more than setting my head down on the desk until it's all over, which is exactly how Kol found me when he came back. "How much of that did you hear?" He inquires as he sits down on the bed with a deep sigh.

"As little as humanly possible." I chuckle as I join him and rest my head on his shoulder. "I mean, I know something has most of your siblings pretty pissed, but I don't know much more."

"My mother is back." He scoffs, and I analyze his expression. The resentment and pain are right there on the surface like he isn't even trying to mask it. I'm just not sure if it's because he trusts me or if he's just too tired to hide it away. "I should be happy. I thought she died centuries ago, but I'm not." There's a pain in his voice that I've only ever heard from my father, which hurts and scares me. That feeling only increases when he says, "Maybe people are right; maybe I am a monster. One that you're better off without."

I have to resist the urge to smack him for even thinking it. "Kol Mikaelson, don't you dare say that." I steel myself for what I'm about to say, because I know once I do, there's no going back to what we were. "You are not a monster, by any means. If you're a monster, that means I am too, and so are ninety percent of the people in this town. I—"

Kol's voice cuts me off, and his brown eyes drill into my soul as he speaks. "You aren't a monster, Lee."

"Then you aren't either. No matter what you or anyone else says. I refuse to believe that. What you are doesn't define who you are." I sigh as I sit on my legs facing him. "Please, don't for a second think you are, or that I would ever be better off without you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know who I was. I would still see myself as a broken girl, as a bandaid baby that didn't quite cover the wound. I highly doubt I would have ever been this happy if it weren't for you. I—I—" My voice can't form the words.

Luckily, Kol doesn't need me to say them to understand where I was going with it. I stare at my twitching fingers which fiddle with the hem of my shirt to avoid his gaze. My heart pounds so hard I half-expect it to break itself, but I know looking at Kol is an even better chance of it breaking. The fear of him not feeling the same is just too great.

His fingers curl beneath my chin and lift it until I'm forced to look at him. The shaking is now uncontrollable as my brown eyes meet his. His voice is so quiet, it would make a whisper seem like a shout, as he says, "You don't have to say it. I know, and I feel the same." Then, for the third time tonight, I kiss Kol Mikaelson until my head spins with euphoria.

"So why exactly is your sister screaming at random people?" I ask Klaus as I shut the door to the studio to drown out the shouting blonde. I haven't officially met Rebekah or the other Mikaelson's yet, but I know them all nevertheless. Kol and I decided it would be better to wait until things settled down a little bit before he introduced his new girlfriend. "Kol refuses to tell me. He just says it will be a surprise." I roll my eyes as I remember the smirk and comment he gives me each time I ask.

"The Mikaelson Ball." Klaus replies causally as he continues to stare at the canvas in front of him. "It's family tradition anytime we're all together."

"So is it for Esther? Or were you guys planning it before she came back when you woke up Finn?" I inquire as I sort through Klaus's art supplies for my medium. "Did you move my pencils again?"

"No, they're exactly where you left them, love." There's a long pause as he finishes a brushstroke before he speaks again. "If you must know, it's because of her. It was her tradition after all. Plus, what mother wants, she gets."

"So I've heard." I mumble as I sit down with my sketchpad. Over the past two weeks I've been staying here, my time has been split between learning magic from Kol, sneaking around the mansion, and Klaus's art lessons, which have been a lot more fun than I was anticipated. "It's not right what she did to you."

Despite his best efforts, Klaus can't entirely keep the edge from his voice. I know most people would find their heart torn out for such a comment, but Klaus and I have a mutual understanding and friendship. "What makes you say that?"

"No mother should punish her children for what they are. Especially when they ended up turning out to be good people. Once you get past the surface that is." Klaus chuckles at the last part. "I'm serious. You and Kol both act like your these horrible people simply because that's what people expect of you, but you can't lie to me. I can see right through it."

"Sometimes I wish it weren't true."

"So... Are you going to invite Caroline to the ball?"

There's a momentary stutter in Klaus's painting, which he quickly tries to hide. "Why would I do that? She despises my existence."

"Because, she may say she despises you, but deep down I think there's more to the story. Plus, you can't say no to a good game."

"What makes you so sure she would come?"

"Call it a witch's hunch." I smirk with a quick glance at him. "Plus, just think about where I would be if Kol had given up on me."

"I would prefer to not entertain such morbid ideas." Klaus smiles as he cleans his brushes and motions for me to come look. "It's almost finished. What do you think?"

The canvas in front of me is streaked with black, white, and blue paint. It's one of Klaus's abstract pieces, but like all of his work, it is still flawed and moving. I am in awe of what he can do when he sets himself towards something. "It's—breathtaking, but sad."

"You always say my work is sad." Klaus flips through the many pages of my sketchbook with a ghost of a smile. "Yet yours has the same morose quality. Any particular reason?"

"Maybe it's because we're more similar than we think. Life has made us bitter and sad. Plus, like you told me, art is merely the reflection of the artist."

The room is silent as Klaus looks over my latest piece, which is nothing more than a rough sketch of him when he thought I wasn't looking. I can tell he finally sees the pain he so desperately tries to hide the world is plainly obvious to me. It's a heartbreaking experience, to see your friend realize they're not all they pretend to be, that the mask they choose to wear means nothing to you.

I don't even think about it as I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist. During my time here, I have come to see Klaus as an older brother, and he's told me before he sees me as another sister. "I told you, Klaus, I see through it."

Klaus still holds onto the book for dear life as he returns the hug. "You know, Kol is very lucky to have you."

"Yes, I am." Kol's voice cuts like a knife through the air. I spin around to find him glaring at his older brother, but I know that despite the look he holds no grudge or malice against him. He's just not used to seeing me hugging his brother. It's only a moment of jealousy.

I give Kol a warning look as I pass him. "Well, I'm heading into town for the day. Don't wait up." I call over my shoulder before I sneak through the hallway and out the front door.

The chill in the air nips at my exposed skin, which I know will make my whole face red by the time I reach town. It probably would have been easier to borrow Kol's car, but the walk will give me the time I need to think about everything.

Slowly, the dense forest becomes more sparse, buildings appear more frequently, and cars pass by on their way home. I avoid looking in the direction of my dad's apartment. The guilt of not even letting him know I'm in town is too real if I do. At least, if I don't look, I can pretend I'm not a horrible daughter. Plus, he probably would be upset with me anyway for hiding out at the mansion all this time, getting a boyfriend without his knowledge, and sneaking into town without so much as a five second stop by the apartment.

I'm the bandaid baby that only worsens the wound.

The thought is jostled from my attention as I walk inside the grill. Customers fill the place with chatter, and I look around for the familiar face. He nearly scares the wits out of me when he finds me first. "Lee, you came?" Jeremy questions with a slight smile. Unfortunately, our previous friendship has become tenuous since my relationship change with Kol.

"Of course, you're my friend, and you asked me to come. Just know, I'll leave if you start to criticize my life choices." I avoid looking at Jeremy as my eyes trail around for any sign of his friends. "So, what's wrong? You sounded kind of freaked earlier."

"Right." Jeremy says as he pulls me into the back of the restaurant with a worried expression. "It's about Esther."

"Kol's mom?" I question in a whisper as I double check no one can hear us. "I was hoping I was wrong about her. What happened?"

"This happened." Without another word, Jeremy passes his phone, which clearly shows the front of an invitation to the Mikaelson ball. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Everyone in town got one. It's as if he reads my thoughts as he swipes to the next picture— a hand written note from Esther to Elena requesting a meeting.

My stomach is weighted with stones. Ever since Esther reappeared, I've had a miserable feeling nagging me. It told me that she was up to something, but I wanted so desperately to believe I was wrong about her and her plans. "She wants Elena for something--probably blood. I don't know specifically why, but it's probably about Klaus's hybrids."

"But he can't use her blood anymore. She's a vampire now. That's why Klaus wants—" He stops before he can say anything else. There's something I shouldn't know, but I'm going to make sure he tells me now. I glare at Jeremy until he cracks. "—it's why he wants the cure to vampirism."

"There's a cure?" My mind reels. Klaus never told me any of this, but it makes sense of why he sneaks off to talk to Jeremy. Neither of them know I still sneak into the clock tower. I caught them one time. "Let me take a guess and say that's why you and Kol hate each other."

Jeremy doesn't look at me, but it gives me the answer I had already known. "So if she can't stop Elena's blood from creating more hybrids, what else would she want her for?"

I bite my lip as I sort through the millions of possibilities. Although, with the little bit I know about Esther, the chances of my figuring it out before she's done is slim. "I have no idea. All I can tell you is— I'm going to do my best to find out."


	15. 15

"Thanks for coming early with me." I smile at Jeremy, who fidgets nervously with his tie. I roll my eyes and lean over to fix it for him. "It's not gonna stay straight if you keep tugging at it."

"Why exactly did you want me to be here anyway?" He questions as he ignores the lack of space between us. Still, he makes no attempt to hide the contempt in his voice. "I thought you would be right beside Kol right now."

"Not yet. Klaus is the only one that knows about us." I finally finish with his tie and lean back in the passenger seat of the truck. Jeremy's eyes follow my every move, but I turn up the radio as I continue to speak. "There's been so much going on, I didn't want to stir up even more issues. Plus, if I was there now, my plan has no hope."

"You didn't want to cause problems, or Kol convinced you his family would be upset?" I roll my eyes, what I told Jeremy was mostly the truth. It's not my fault he only believes what he wants to about Kol and the Mikaelson's. The other half of it was that I wasn't quite ready to face the withering stare of his siblings. He quickly realizes I'm not going to justify his question by even acknowledging it, so he moves on. "What is this brilliant plan of yours?"

"You'll find out if it works. I don't want to say anything until I have an actual answer." My head hits the rest, and I silently pray that Esther's meeting with Elena is nothing more than wanting to meet the latest Petrova doppelganger. It's a fanatical notion, but it doesn't stop me from hoping. That would be the best outcome, and I can't bring myself to consider the worst.

"You really care don't you?"

"Care about?"

"Everything. You care about me, Elena, Klaus, obviously Kol, and that we're all okay."

"Of course, I care. Am I supposed to be cold and empty-hearted?" I know what he means by the comment, but I would care to not think about it right now. Still, I give in anyway. "You don't have to warn me. I know where caring too much will get me."

"As long as you know that you can't fix everyone's problems, you're good."

"You mean I can't fix them alone ." I emphasize the look with a pointed look at him. "Things wouldn't be so difficult and dangerous if one person stopped fighting. All it would take is one person deciding to help instead of hurt."

Jeremy looks back at me with guilt. Good, make him feel bad. It might just make him finally listen . I don't wait for him to say anything as I open up the door and join the trickling crowd of people making their way toward the mansion.

The silvery-grey silk of my gown trails against the tile of entry way as I finally let it go. Jeremy takes my arm as we walk inside, and I graciously take it as I admire the grandeur of it all. "Wow. They really pulled out all the stops didn't they?" He chuckles as he nods to a few people he knows as we walk by.

I barely hear any of what he or anyone else says. My fingers keep pinching and messing with the soft fabric of my gown, and my head turns to catch any sign of the familiar faces that could calm my nerves. Klaus is the only one I find.

He stands across the hall talking and laughing with Mayor Lockwood, who stands stiff with a forced smile. It's clear that she's scared of him. What more could you expect? He has a supernatural control on her son, who he turned into one of his hybrids. Not to mention, Klaus would not be likely to hesitate to take over her position if he wanted it. Although, I know him well enough to understand he would rather have someone else do the work so he can remain in the dark.

Klaus eventually catches my eye mid-conversation. I manage a quick smile towards him, but it doesn't reach my eyes. He must notice my distress because he breaks off from the mayor and makes his way over to Jeremy and I. "Lee, you're looking radiant." Klaus smiles as he takes my free hand and kisses my knuckles.

I only roll my eyes in response. "Please, tell me you weren't terrifying the mayor this early in the night." That comment earns a chuckle out of Klaus, but it causes Jeremy to flinch like he might be the next victim. "Where is everyone else?"

"I believe what you mean to say is—'where is Kol?'" Jeremy scoffs, which earns him a small jab to the ribs. "It's not like he doesn't know." He chuckles as he motions to Klaus, but he realizes soon enough it's not Klaus I'm worried about.

"Rebekah is socializing. Elijah is around here somewhere. Finn is at his usual place by my mother, and I can only guess where she is. Kol—well, he's looking for you." A teasing smile crosses Klaus's face. He intentionally gives me no details about anyone for fun, and he makes no attempt to hide his enjoyment at my panic.

"You are no help, Niklaus." I glare at him mockingly as I continue to search. My eyes scan the room for the face of my boyfriend, but he's nowhere to be found. Instead, I find the faces of Caroline, Tyler Lockwood, Matt, and a trio I know all too well—Elena, with her two toys, Damon and Stefan Salvatore, on either arm. I restrain myself from rolling my eyes.

She's far too much like what I'm told the previous doppelganger was. Even Jeremy shares that opinion, but I can't tell him that's not the only reason I dislike her. I can't respect anyone who puts two people through such torment and exploits it to get her way, even if it is unintentional.

Once Klaus notices Caroline's arrival, he leaves Jeremy and I alone to make a beeline to her. Jeremy stays by my side for a little while longer until he spots someone he knows, and I tell him I'll be fine. The sounds of the party guests chatter echoes through the grand entryway, and the sparkle of gems and dresses are nearly blinding. Even standing in the middle of it all makes me feel dizzy.

My heels make a gentle click against the tiles as I slip between groups in search of a quiet spot. Most of the hallways I know like the back of my hand, which means I know all too well that the noise of the guests will still echo through. I nervously bite my lip as I slip into one room I know will be quiet—the library.

This is the first time I've ever been in here. This is Elijah's sanctuary, and since I've been avoiding most of the siblings, this room has been off limits. The room in front of me makes wish otherwise when I take it all in.

My fingers mindlessly trail over the old leather bound copies of classics, modern, and titles I've never even heard of. Each shelf is meticulously organized, which doesn't surprise me knowing what I do about Elijah.

My heart nearly stops in my chest when I spot a first edition copy of one of my favorite childhood books, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It's the white whale of my book collection. I barely even think as I gingerly take if off the shelf and admire the feeling of the faded cover, the smell of old pages and ink, and the words I could nearly recite by heart. "That's one of my favorites too." A voice comes from behind me, and it takes every ounce of conscious thought for me to not drop the book. I spin around to find myself face to face with Elijah Mikaelson.

"Sorry, I was just looking for a quiet place when I came across your library." I stumble through my words. Elijah is the noble one of the bunch, but that doesn't make me any less nervous. There's an unspoken need for me to take an excellent impression since I'm going to finally introduce myself later tonight. "You're collection is beautiful. It puts mine to shame."

"You collect books?" He asks with a slight smile. I can feel his eyes on my movements as I carefully slip the book back into its proper place.

"Avidly." I reply with a smile. My fingers start fiddling with the silk of my gown as I continue with a nostalgic smile appearing. "My dad is a writer, and he would always tell me how powerful a good story can be. One of the first books he gave me was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It's what started the obsession with collecting." I pause for a second as I dare to meet the Original in the eye, feeling a bit more comfortable. "Do you mind if I ask where you found it? I've been searching for a first edition of it, but it's nearly impossible to find."

"I wish I could give you some guidance, but I'm afraid I acquired it when it was first published." He seems to wait for me to say something about the time difference, but I barely react. I've spent so much time around Klaus and Kol, who constantly talk about the past like it was yesterday, that it doesn't really register anymore.

"That's what I guessed." I comment with a small sigh.

Elijah opens his mouth to say something, but is quickly cut off by Kol entering the room. He takes a split second to look between his brother and I. "Rebekah wanted me to come find you. Mother is ready for the toast." Kol tells his brother, but I know his attention is on watching me.

Elijah simply nods, gives me a brief goodbye, and leaves. Kol, on the other hand, barely waits for his brother to walk away before he comes over to me with a gentle smile. "You look radiant, darling."

"You look pretty good too, Mikaelson. But don't you have a toast to go help with?" I question with a devious smile knowing he won't leave quite yet. "Or am I going to have to explain to your family that I was reason you were late?"

"Can't I at least greet my girlfriend before I resign myself to torture?" Kol asks as he wraps an arm around my waist. I lean into him as we walk out. "I'll see you for the first dance, darling."

"Only if you're lucky, Mikaelson." I tease as we re-enter the main hallway. Kol merely chuckles and offers me a slight wink as he ascends the stairs. The Mikaelson family is gathered around the banister of the stairway, each with a glass in their hands and forced smiles.

Elijah stands in the middle of them and delivers his well-written speech about the importance of family. That, along with a short explanation of the Mikaelson's tradition of party at every reunion. I pay as little attention as possible as I focus in on the 'reason for the occasion' instead, Esther. Her expression would make Antarctica feel like the Bahamas as she watches the event before her unfold.

I know Kol told me that she's the original witch, but I never expected to feel the power radiating off of her. My stomach lurches with anxiety as she turns her cold, harsh glare on me. What made it all so much worse was the grin that crossed her face at the eye contact, and the bone chilling grin of a cat who cornered the mouse.

We stay like that for a moment, both of us sizing the other up and waiting to see who will break first. The only thing that breaks it up is Elijah finishing his speech, and the crowds movements toward the ballroom for the first dance. "Are you alright, darling?" Kol's smooth voice brings me out of my thoughts as he leads me along with the crowd.

"Nothing you need to worry about, love." I force a grin at him as we take our places for the dance. A part of me has to bite my tongue to keep from telling him what I've done and suspect his mother of planning, The other part refuses to admit to anything until I have my proof. It's the side that wins over as I dance with my boyfriend and forget the trouble of our world for a few minutes.

The night went on in series of dances, laughs, drinks, and secret kisses with Kol in the corner of the ballroom. "One more dance, Kol." I giggle as I wobble on my heels.

"I think you've had one too many champagnes, darling." He laughs along with me, but ultimately gives in to one more dance with me. We spin on the dance floor, and I marvel at how he makes everything seem so simple. The other couple fade away, the music takes over, and it's just us.

Kol holds my waist and pulls me closer to him with a strange look on his face. It's the same expression I've seen him giving me when he thinks I'm not watching. "Hey, Kol. There's something I wanted to tell you." I whisper as I look deeply into the eyes of the man who has come to meet so much to me.

"What is it, Ace?"

"I think--No. I know, I love you." The words pour off my tongue before I can even debate whether or not to say them. Although the moment I speak them out loud, I know I would never want to take them back.

My chest constricts at the long pause that settles in between us. Kol just watches me with a slack jaw for a moment before it slowly changes into a smile. "Well, I know I love you too, Ophelia Mitchell."

I nearly stood on my tiptoes and plant a kiss on his lips before we're interrupted by the clicking on a glass. "Looks like mother is making a speech." Kol chuckles with an eye roll, but he makes sure to press a split-second kiss to my lips. "Come on. I would hate to make mother mad."

The moment we walk into the foyer, a horrendous pit drops in my stomach. "Kol, something's wrong."

His expression instantly becomes filled with worry. Over time, Kol and I have learned to trust my instincts and even how to further their reach. We discovered that the visions and premonitions that I get are the result of residual magic. Being a 'siphon' means that I lack my own supply of magic, but I can still hold onto enough to sense other magic sources and other odd occurrences. It all stemmed from my crazy vision of my dad and has haunted me with visions and intuitions ever since.

"What's going on? Do you know what it is?"

I shake my head as I hold onto his arm for dear life and take deep breaths. "No, I have no idea. I'll keep you posted on any developments. Let's just focus on the speech so no one notices."

Esther stands at the top of the staircase where her children stood earlier in this evening. I tune her out as I look around the room for an indication of where my vibe is coming from. Klaus is standing over with Caroline, Rebekah is hooked on Matt's arm, Finn waits at the bottom of the stairs like an abandoned puppy, and Elijah--Elijah is ignoring his mother's speech. Instead, a worried expression creases his brow as he speaks in hushed tones to Elena.

I watch the exchange so intently, that I barely notice the flutes of champagne being passed around. Though, I don't miss Elena's eyes lingering a split second too long on the flute in Elijah's hand. A fresh wave of panic surges through me as the original lifts the glass to his lips at his mother's queue.

"Kol, it's the champagne. Don't drink the champ-- " I stop mid sentence when I realize Kol's already taken a sip. The panic in my chest boils over into anger as I turn back to Esther. She watches the foyer with the same placid expression that she watched me with earlier. My voice drops into a whisper as i watch her descend the stairs toward her waiting pet, Finn, both acting far too guarded to do be innocent. "I'm gonna find out what that witch did. I'm not gonna let her hurt my family."


	16. 16

"Lee, are you sure you're ready for this?" Kol whispers in my ear as he holds me close to his chest. "If you want to, we can wait. It's your choice."

"No, I'm want to do this." I smile back at him and lean into the warmth of his chest. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Are you sure about what you felt?"

"Absolutely." I bite my lip as I pull out of Kol's embrace to look him in the eye. All the while, I embrace the cold feeling against my skin. "I haven't been wrong yet, Kol, and this was the strongest one I've had yet."

"I believe you, darling. You know I do, but you have to keep in mind, my mother is a very powerful witch. If she's up to something, then we're all in trouble." A dark shadow passes over his expression, and he looks at me with all the worry I feel brewing in my chest. "For now though, we should just worry about one thing at a time. Like introducing my family to my beautiful girlfriend."

"Fine, but we still have to talk about what might be going on." I reply, and Kol simply nods before pressing a hasty kiss to my lips. "I'm ready when you are."

I wrap Kol's jacket around myself as we leave the comfort of the balcony. The rest of the family is gathered in the main room, each occupied in their own worlds. Elijah with his book, Rebekah flipping through a magazine, Klaus sipping his drink, while Finn and Esther speak quietly in the corner.

Klaus watches the pair of us with a smirk and raises his glass. "Good, you're all here." Kol starts as he takes my hand. "There's someone I would like to introduce to all of you."

"Well, to most of us. I've already met the darling Lee." Klaus presses a quick kiss to my cheek with a smile as he moves to fill his drink. I roll my eyes at the hybrid and return my attention to Kol.

"Anyway, I wanted the rest of you to meet Lee. Especially since she's my girlfriend." Kol's face lights up at the word, and I return the expression tenfold. The light feeling in my chest that I get around him seems stronger than ever.

I return my attention to the Originals with a wide smile. "It's nice to finally meet all of you. Officially this time." Elijah merely smiles at the comment as he rises from his seat, but the remainder of the family stays glued in place.

He's the first one to make a move. "It's a pleasure to meet the person who has caused such a change in my brother."

"I like to think that I didn't change him. All I did was bring the better parts of him out." I give Kol a little nudge at the comment. "People are hard to change, and they can only change for themselves. So, thank you, but it was all him."

"How very profound. Where did you pick this one from, Kol?" Rebekah makes her distaste for me clear in the way she glares at me. "Do you even know what we are? Or anything real about each other?"

"You mean, do I know that you're the original vampires and your mother is the one that made you that way? Yes, I knew that from pretty early on. To answer what I assume will be your next question, yes, I understand what that means and can happen, but I am perfectly capable of handling myself."

At my retort, Rebekah's harsh expression softens and a ghost of a smile replaces it. "You've got backbone. I can respect that." Then, she did something I never expected to happen. She pulls me into a hug. "I hope you stick around. It will be nice to have another girl around here. This house is always rolling around in men."

"Just like you, dear sister." Kol laughs, and I quickly jab him in the ribs with a glare.

Rebekah's laugh breaks the tension between everyone. "Oh, we are definitely going to get along perfectly, Lee."

"I look forward to it." I smile back at her, but my expression falters when I catch Esther's gaze. Nevertheless, I push past it as I continue to talk to Rebekah. "Maybe we could spend the day together sometime soon?"

"Of course!" Rebekah beams as she and I start to chat like old friends while the boys join in on the conversation occasionally.

"Lee, was it?" Esther calls as the rest of the family parts ways. "Do you have a moment?"

For the psycho mother I'm pretty sure is trying to hurt the people I love? "Of course." I force a smile onto my features. A cold chill runs through my spine as I sit down on the couch next to her. No words or actions can convince me to change my opinion of her or reduce my suspicions against her.

"My children seem to be quite taken with you. I even see the change in Kol that they were referring to. Now that I've met you, I can see why" Esther smiles at me with what I suspect is her version of pride. I bow my head in a false blush to hide my near laughter at her false kindnesses. "You are quite the young woman, Lee. Although, I hope you understand that being near my children is bound to put you into far more danger than you could ever understand."

I send out a silent thank you to my mother for forcing me into drama class for so many years as I feign worry. "I'm not quite sure I understand. I've already had to deal with vampires, and I was fine through that. Is there something else I should be worried about?"

Esther's lip flatten into a straight line, and she smooths out her dress. The oxygen in the room seems to run away from the awkward tension. It takes her a moment before she completely retains her composure. "Oh, my dear, I fear there are much worse things that you will have to face if you remain here. My children have made a great many enemies, all of whom search for any weakness to exploit. You will be seen as one of them.

"I tell you these things not to frighten you, but to prepare you. If you choose to stay, there will be no telling who or what may come after you. It is best to understand your situation before you get too involved. The choice will be up to you."

I take a deep breath as it clicks in my mind. She wants me to leave. That much is clear, but my question is 'why?' Is she really that selfish that she denies everyone happiness? Or could she know about me and want me out of her way?

My fingers fidget of their own accord, and I force myself to keep the anger out of my voice. "I understand and appreciate your advice. Although, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to turn in for the night. I think this is a choice I have to think over for a while." I stand up from the couch and only pause a moment in the doorway. "Thank you again, Esther. Goodnight."

I slowly make my way up the stairs, painstakingly keeping up the pensive facade. With every step, I can feel Esther's gaze on my back and her magic in the house. A piece of me is so tempted to reach out, to take away some of her power, to make sure she can never hurt my friends anymore than she already has. Although, the large part of me tells me not to be foolish. A time will come when Esther will get her punishment.

The door to my room shuts a moment after I enter, and I instinctively spin around with my hands raised to face a threat. A low chuckle fills the room and eases my nerves. "You scared me. Both of you should be ashamed."

"What for? It's not our fault you're jumpy tonight." Kol laughs as he leans against the door.

Klaus emerges from the shadow and into the light pouring through the window. "Tell me, love. Who won our bet?"

I roll my eyes as I fall onto my bed, finally allowing myself to crumble a little bit. "Well, it looks like I owe you two a favor. She tried to convince me to leave." Kol visibly stiffens at the words, and Klaus's expression is full of anger and contempt. "Don't worry, she didn't change my mind on any of it. I already made my decision."

"Is there anything else that she said that gave you an idea of what she's planning?"

"No, but I might have another way of figuring that out." I reply with a devious smile. "I might have had a suspicion she was up to something beforemy premonition."

The smile on their faces mimics my own, and Kol feigns hurt and surprise. "Lee, are you saying you don't trust our mother?"

"After she sent a special invite to the latest Petrova doppelganger? No." I roll my eyes as I stand up and peer into the hallway. "We can talk about it more in the morning. For now, I need to get some rest and keep Esther's suspicions of me to a minimum."

"Alright. We'll see you in the morning to discuss more." Kol smiles as he places a hand on my waist and cheek. He presses a quick kiss to my forehead before he continues. "Goodnight, darling."

"Night."

I wait another hour and a half to make sure everyone is asleep before I slip into the hallway. The sound of my own breathing fills my ears, and my heart jumps at every creak of the hardwood floor beneath my feet.

It's a scene straight out of a trashy horror movie. Where the teenage girl is creeping through the house with an eerie silence setting her on edge. That's me right now. Except this isn't a movie, and the 'monsters' aren't who you would expect them to be.

The study door painfully creaks as I open it and slip in, all the while praying I didn't wake anyone up. I stop in my tracks at the smell that lingers in the air. Something about it is familiar but strange. It takes me a long moment to identify it, burnt sage. "Clever trick." I mumble to myself as I walk over to the desk.

Kol's method of teaching has been to let me look through his mother's grimoires and see how many of them I could work out with minimal help. Still, it doesn't take Esther's books to understand that burning sage is a guarantee to a private conversation and will essentially soundproof the room of your choice from supernatural hearing.

Unfortunately, it confirms my fears that Esther is up to something--something she doesn't want anyone to know about. It also means that she'll likely go to drastic lengths to protect her secret until she's ready, and it makes what I'm doing infinitely more dangerous.

I pull open the bottom drawer of the desk and remove the false panel Kol showed me at the beginning of my stay at the Mikaelson house. Inside the drawer is now a multitude of drawings, notes, and most importantly, a tape recorder. Esther may have wanted a private conversation, but it was a luxury I couldn't afford her having.

I press the end recording button and grab a book off the shelf before slipping back into the hallway. Everything is still quite in the house, and I gently shut my door as I lay on my bed with the covers over my head.

Static floods through my earbuds as I lay beneath the blankets. My own breath filling my bubble with warmth to the brink of suffocation. Then, all of the sudden, the monotonous static is broken up by garbled sounds and voices.

I scramble to rewind the tape just enough to where I can hear everything –Esther's discussion with Elena and the split second glimpse at her grand plan that she alludes to with Finn.

Her words echo in my head long after the tape reruns to static, and I find myself rewinding and listing to the conversations all night long trying to piece it together. It wasn't until about the thirteenth time that it finally clicked. The champagne, her mentioning linking them, and the 'sacrifice' she thanked Finn for. "Oh my gosh. I'm gonna be sick." I mumble to myself as it comes into focus.

Like tying a group together and shoving one off a cliff, she linked them so they will all fall. Esther's desperation to fix her 'mistake' has led her to this.

She is going to kill the Mikaelsons.


	17. 17

My door thunks against the wall, likely putting a hole in it from the sound, as I run into the hallway and down towards the other rooms. Please, please, let them still be here . I pound on each of the doors in turn, but come up empty each time.

Everything blues in front of me, and I lean against the wall to keep from collapsing as I struggle for breathe. Now is not the time for a panic attack, Lee. My body ignores me as it continues to shake and shut down, but I force myself to shove past it.

Black spots dance across my vision as I push myself to stand back up. I stumble down the hallways and into the foyer looking for anyone to help. The entire house is empty. Every room cold, and without any sign of the Mikaelsons.

My mind races looking for a solution. How do I make sure they know what Esther is up to? Only one option comes into mind. I run back to my room in search of my phone and some clothes. All the while, I run through a checklist. First, send the recording to Kol, Rebekah, and Klaus. Second, get out of this house. I can't risk Esther realizing the truth. Third, find help in any shape. The more people that know I'm in trouble and by who, the better chance of me getting found if something happens.

I scramble through my bag, pull on shirt, with my shoes on and phone in my hand before I hear it. The soft whispering of the last two voices I want to hear right now. Panic takes a hold of my chest as I attempt to sneak past and out the door. Unfortunately, the floor creaks beneath my feet just in front of the door.

"Lee," Esther's voice calls out from behind me, and I struggle to keep my breathing steady. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I was just heading into town to help my dad with some stuff." I force a smile on my face despite the strain it takes. My hands tremble as I try to listen to what she's saying to me. Her eyes drift down to the recorder in my hands, and I know I'm screwed. "It's my dad's. He gave it to me so I could review his writing notes."

"Well, in that case, I won't keep you any longer." Her tone is casual, but her eyes narrow at me in suspicion. I make it all the way to the door before I'm slammed back by a barrier. My nose sends fresh waves of pain across my face. "Apologies about that. There's one more thing I need to discuss with you."

"What would that be?" I question with a shaky voice as I slip the recorder in my pocket.

"Have you put any consideration into what we discussed?"

I bite my bottom lip as I consider how to reply. Now that I have a slight bit of insight into her plan, I can't help but wonder if there's a double meaning to this. On one hand, I could tell her the truth and put myself in her way; or I could lie and risk her wanting me to help.

"Yes, actually I have." I take a moment to pause and gather my courage. "I'm going to stay. I know it's dangerous, but I truly care about Kol. The thought of walking away now just doesn't feel right."

There's a long pause before Esther nods and motions for the door, which I take as my queue to leave. Unfortunately, I make it a half step before Finn's hands are tightly gripping my arms. "I was hoping you would see things properly after our conversation. My children cause nothing but destruction, and the longer you stay near them, the more you'll get hurt." Esther shakes her head as she nods to Finn. "I really didn't want it to come to this."

Finn's arms pin me against his chest as we both face Esther. "I wish it didn't come to this either." I tell her as I start to pull at the magic that comes from Finn, who releases a cry of shock as he releases me.

I take my chance and bolt for it, running like my life depends on it as Esther's frustrated cries echo after me. The woods turn into a blur as my vision tunnels, and I pause only for a moment to whisper a cloaking spell over myself.

By the time the town comes into view, I can barely breathe and my heart pounds against my ribcage. Each step my muscles threaten to give up on me, but I force myself to ignore the burning pain as I stumble into the grill.

I nearly cry out of pure joy when a familiar face comes into view. "Lee, is everything okay? Why are you all banged up?"

"I can't talk for long, Matt." I try to catch my breath as I take my phone out of my pocket. "Give this to Jeremy, Kol, or Rebekah. Tell them to listen to the recordings. They'll know what to do."

"Lee, what are you--?" Matt tries to ask, but I show the phone into his hands before I run back out the door.

The afternoon air swallows me up as I continue to run like my life depended on it. Mostly because it does. Mine and so many other lives depend on what happens next.

I make it another three and a half blocks before they're there--waiting. Esther stands in the middle of my path with Finn at her side, like always. She watches me intently with crossed arms and speaks to me in a calm, chiding tone. "Oh, Ophelia. You've been causing trouble. Let's see if it's more than you're worth."

Esther raises her hand with a blank expression, and then my world goes dark.

A throbbing tension echoes through my skull, and my fingers absentmindedly curl over dirt and dead leaves as I push myself up. The moment I'm sitting up, I realize that it was a big mistake judging by the nausea that rushes over me. "Dang that packs a punch." I complain as I rub my temples.

"You should have expected nothing less. Especially since you were in my way." Esther's cold voice calls out, and a moment later, she steps out of the darkness and towards me. "You're quite lucky that I didn't just kill you."

"Why didn't you? I'm suspecting it's not because you suddenly developed a conscience?" I mock as I force myself to my feet. "I mean, you are about to murder your own children-- again ."

"That's because they shouldn't exist. You, at least, are partially innocent." Her lip curls back in disgust and contempt. "My children, on the other hand, were a mistake I wish to correct."

In that moment, all I see is red. Rage takes over me, and every ounce of it is directed at the world's worst mother. "How dare you--" I scream as I take a step towards her, but am stopped cold in my tracks with a sharp sense of pain. "Boundary spell. Clever."

"I'm glad you appreciate the sentiment."

"Let me guess, you want to keep me here so I won't interfere?" I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. "You're despicable, Esther. You have no idea what you are about to do."

"I think I know quite well--"

"No. Let me finish." I take a deep breath, stare her down, and get as close to the barrier as I can as I continue. "The children you call 'mistakes,' are some of the best people I have ever met. Have they made mistakes? Yes, they have. Have they hurt people? Many people, but so have I. Just for a moment though, set those mistakes aside and look at who they are. Wonderful people, who despite the horrible things you and Mikael put them through, still managed to turn into good people."

"That doesn't turn back time and undo everything they've done." Esther snaps at me as she raises her hand. Another wave of pain and nausea washes over me. "I was going to see if you would be willing to help, but now I realize you won't. It's a shame really, I could have used a witch of your potential and caliber."

"So what are you going to do with me, instead? Leave me in here to freeze to death?"

Esther merely laughs as she walks away. I watch as she stops for only a moment to call over her shoulder, "Not unless you change your mind."

One, two, three, four, five... one seventy-eight, one seventy-nine, one eighty. Plenty of time for Esther to be well out of sight, which leaves me free to get myself out of here.

I force myself to take a deep breath as I place my hand against the barrier. The shield ripples and lights up under my touch. I barely manage to hold my hands against it for a solid five seconds to watch the magic pushing against me before the pain becomes too much. "Come on, Lee. You can do this. You have to warn them."

Five excruciating attempts to siphon off enough energy to push past the barrier later, and I sit in the center of the boundary circle. Another cold rush of wind sends the dead leaves on the ground dancing away, but another round of shivers through my body.

My dad always used to tell me all the interesting facts that he learned throughout his book research. When he was looking into survival statistics, he would tell me all the signs of dehydration, starvation, and hypothermia. I guess, it was his way of protecting me and giving me a way to help myself in dangerous situations. It's how I recognize the signs, how I know if I don't get out of here, my body will soon shut down from the hypothermia.

"Well, I hope you've had enough time to reconsider my offer." Esther calls as she enters my line of sight. "This will be your last chance to accept. Otherwise, you can sit there and watch as I finish what I came to do."

"How could you think--even for a second-- that I would help you kill the only people who I consider family?"

"And you call me cold. You call my children the only people you consider family, but you neglect to include your own father in that statement."

"Don't you dare talk about my dad." I shout as I rush closer to the barrier. "I call them family because as my family falls to pieces, they took me in as one of their own. They each treat me with a respect and kindness I have never been known before. So the answer is still no. I will never help you harm them, but I will promise you this. I will use every ounce of power in my veins to stop you."

Esther doesn't get a chance to respond before a familiar face appears over her shoulder. Bonnie looks at me in shock for a long moment. She makes a clear effort to avoid looking me in the eye and the betrayal written across my face. "We're ready to start the spell whenever you are."

A villainous grin dances across Esther's face as she flicks her hand and lights the torches that line the clearing around an old house. Panic surges through my chest as Finn and Bonnie's Mom join us. "Bonnie, please, you don't have to do this. You don't have to help her kill people."

"They're not people, Lee. They're the Originals. If we make one wrong move against them, we're all dead. I'm just protecting myself and my friends." Bonnie reasons as she backs away.

I scream at the top of my lungs any argument or coherent thought that comes to mind. Still, they all act as though I'm not even here as they begin their work, and I am powerless to stop them.

Tears stream down my face as I pace my limited space. Heat radiates through my limbs. It escalates the fear that settles into my chest. I'm going to die here. It's not a question or a possibility. In my head, it solidifies into fact.

In any normal situation, or even a few months ago, I would have fallen into a trembling heap of anxiety at a thought like this, but now, I've changed. Knowing Kol and the Mikaelsons has taught me to become a stronger version of myself.

I push myself to my feet, trembling and shaking with every breath. Pain and magic radiate over my limbs. Black spots fill my vision as I hear the chanting continue. I continue to pick away at the magic of the barrier, but the longer I hold on, the harder it becomes to breathe and think. I scream in frustration and pain, which unfortunately draws Esther's attention.

She turns toward me with a horrifyingly cold glare. I watch as she flicks her wrist, and I'm once again thrown back from the barrier with another surge of energy. The taste of iron fills my mouth as I come to my senses. "Esther!" An all too familiar voice shouts into the clearing.

Hope clouds my thoughts as I watch the Mikaelson siblings enter the clearing. Although, my heart sinks a fraction when I don't see the face I needed to see most. Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah argue with Esther, each throwing in the occasional insult. I look frantically at every shadow and try to find the missing sibling. "Stay quiet, darling."

I nearly lose my balance from turning so fast. "Kol, don't come near the barrier. It's got a nasty bite to it." I whisper in warning, but I can't hide the small smile that comes to my face. "I need you to listen to me. There's no way I can get out of here while Esther still has her magic. So, you have to find Bonnie and her mom. I'm pretty sure Esther is channeling the magic of their bloodline. If you can convince them to cut her off, all of this ends."

"We're already working on that. My job is to get you out of here and to safety." Kol looks over me in worry as he sizes up all the damage done. "Which needs to happen soon. I can hear your heart rate dropping."

"No." I argue through labored breaths. "You need to stop Esther. Worry about me after that."

"Ace--"

"Kol, go help your siblings. Now. Before it's too late. I'll be fine. I promise." Although, it only takes a split second before he listens to me and joins his siblings. I follow the next few moments as best as I can despite the effects of hypothermia. Black spots dance across my vision, and my whole body collapses before I see the end results.

Shouts fill my head of the last few seconds of consciousness, and I have no idea who wins the battle.

Actions


	18. 18

"Why hasn't she woken up yet?" Kol's voice carries through my head as I struggle to open my eyes. It's like that first moment after you wake up from a deep sleep and have weights holding you down.

"Maybe I should--"

"Don't you dare, Kol. You promised you wouldn't ever give her vampire blood, and it wouldn't help if you betrayed her trust like that." Rebekah scolds with her usual fashion. "Now, take a deep breath and calm down. If Lee wakes up and finds you like this she'll kick your butt."

I barely manage a smile at the comment and whisper, "Damn right." My eyes open to find a beaming Rebekah, a smug Klaus in the doorway, and a clearly worried Kol on the bed beside me. "So, I'm gonna take a guess here and say we did it?"

"Yeah, we did. Thanks to you." Rebekah smiles as she takes my hand. "Matt called me in a panic shortly after you left the grill, and once we listened to the recordings, we knew we were trouble."

I do my best to pay attention as Klaus and Rebekah fill me in on the details of what happened before their arrival and after I passed out.

Still, I can't help but notice that Kol stays deathly silent. I take his hand in mine and glance over. Our eyes meet, and unspoken conversation passes between us. "Can you give us a minute?" I call out to the siblings without looking away from Kol. The moment the door closes. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

"You nearly died."

"Except, I didn't." I reply as I move so we're facing each other. "I'm right here, and I'm fine."

"That's not my point, Lee." Kol avoids looking at me as he speaks. "Maybe Esther was right. It's too dangerous for you to be around me, but I can't bring myself to let you go."

"Then don't." A sigh escapes my lips as I organize my thoughts together. "Kol, I don't want to have this argument with you again. I'm staying, and nothing that you say or do can change that. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"It's because I trust you. I love you. Part of that means that I'm going to stay through thick and thin." I take his hands in mine. "No matter what kind of situation I find myself in, who we're facing, or how bad it may seem, I know it will okay. Because, I can face anything when I know you'll be there by my side." Tears brim in my eyes as I continue on with my speech.

"It's the reason Esther couldn't change my mind. She didn't understand that you make me stronger. So you can tell me a million reasons to leave, but I won't listen. Because for the first time in my life, I found someone who understands me and makes me happy. To be honest, I don't know what I would do if I lost you after everything we've been through."

"I don't want to lose you either, and it scares me." Kol takes a deep breath as he wraps my hands in his own, with his thumb running over my knuckles. "Which makes think that we should revisit a certain topic. The one where we discuss your opinions of vampirism."

I bite my lip as I meet Kol's gaze. "You know how I feel about turning. I want to hold onto my humanity for as long as I can. Although, after everything that's happened--"

"You don't have to decide anything right now."

"Let me finish. I would love to stay human as long as I can, and I'm not quite sure if we've reached the point in our relationship where we're willing spend eternity with each other. Still, if it came down to it, I wouldn't object to you doing what you had to." I wait a second to figure out the exact words to use. "If I'm ever in a dangerous situation, hurt, or about to die, I want you to be able to use your blood to heal me, or turn me if necessary."

"Okay." A small smile appears on Kol's face as he continues. "Just promise me one thing. Do your best to make sure it doesn't come to that any time soon."

I return the smile as give Kol a brief kiss. "I promise."

"Good." Kol pulls me back in for another kiss. "I love you, Ace."

"Right back at you, Mikaelson."

The rest of the week, the Mikaelson house was on edge. Despite Esther's 'failure,' everyone's nerves were on high alert from the prospect of other enemies stepping into the light. Finn was nowhere to be found, and we all assumed he was hiding out somewhere to avoid another dagger induced nap. Klaus continued to search for him and Esther as time went by via his loyal hybrids. Meanwhile, the rest of the siblings found other matters to occupy their time. Elijah continued his mission to mend the strained familial bonds and Klaus' torn heart.

Rebekah and Kol, on the other hand, turned their attentions to doting, worrying, and spending time with me. Every day was something new with them. Kol would take me out as frequently as possible, on dates, walks, or even sitting around watching movies with me in his arms.

It didn't help that the nightmares that surfaced after Esther's disappearance could only be kept away by him. I'm pretty sure it only boosted his monumentally insufferable ego. He loves to tease me about how I cling to him like a half-drowned cat, and I can only assume he's right.

Still, every night I dread having to go to sleep. The nightmare feels so vivid and tangible. It's as if I could reach out and interact with the world inside my head. Feel a breeze on my skin or a flash of pain.

This morning in particular, I woke up screaming. By the time I was able to clean myself up and trudge down to the kitchen, Rebekah was waiting for me with an understanding smile and a hot coffee. "Sorry if I woke you all this morning." I mumble as I gratefully take the cup.

She leans against the counter, brushing aside my apology with the wave of her hand. "Don't' apologize. Tell me, what was the dream about this time?"

"I don't remember." I sigh as I press my fingers to my sore eyes, as if it will wipe away the horrifying feeling in my stomach. "I keep waiting for something horrible to happen. I mean, Esther is still out there, there's a chance there may be more white oak stakes somewhere, and it doesn't help that my dad keeps calling to 'talk.'"

Rebekah's face softens for a moment as she looks me over. "When was the last time you just took a day off of worrying?"

I pretend to think about it for a moment as I lean against the counter. "Um, never?" "Well, that changes today."

She smiles devilishly as she takes my arm. "Go get dressed. We're going out, and while you do that, I'm going to convince my brother to take you out."

"Thank you, Bex. You're a pretty great friend." I wrap her in a quick hug before she pushes me off towards my room to get ready.

After fifteen minutes of dancing around my room while I get ready, I head back downstairs to meet Rebekah and run into Kol. "Hey, stranger. Did Bex talk to you yet?"

"And demand I force you to take a night off? Yes." Kol laughs as he drapes an arm over my shoulder as we walk. "I think it's a grand idea. You deserve a day of fun."

"What will you be doing all day? More errands for Nik?"

Kol chuckles and sighs as we enter the living room. His gaze levels on his brother and his voice gains an edge. "What else could I possibly want to do? Right, Nik?"

"Be nice, Kol. Just be thankful he's admitting to needing your help." I give Klaus a joking smile at the comment before turning back to Kol. "Just promise me one thing. Don't get into too much trouble without me."

"I make no promises, darling, except that I will try my best." He laughs as he presses a kiss to my temple. I smile at the gesture as I rest my arms on his shoulders and my hands behind his neck.

"I suppose that will have to do." I lean a little bit closer and drop my voice to a whisper. Kol's hands grip my waist in preparation for what I'm about to say. He knows because it's become a habit for me in light of recent events. "Please, stay safe. Okay?"

"Of course, Ace." Kol pulls away just enough to look me in the eye as he whispers with his breath on my lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." I whisper back as I give him a quick kiss before being pulled away by Rebekah. She only laughs at the look on her brother's face as she drags me out of the room. "Don't forget! Dinner at Grille tonight. So whatever Nik has you doing better end before then." I call over my shoulder with a smile and a wave

Bex and I spent hours shopping around the town, which was mostly laughing at some of the crazy styles in the shops and sharing the latest gossip. Although she did insist on helping me find an outfit for my date with Kol.

"Bex, you do realize I've gone on dates with Kol before." I laughed as I browsed through the racks.

"Precisely. You've done the same thing countless times. So what's the harm in changing things up a bit?" Rebekah smiled at me like she just shared a secret. "I want Kol's jaw to hit the floor when he sees you."

I chuckle and lean against the wall as she shops. "I'm pretty sure Kol would find a way to call me beautiful if I was wearing a paper bag, much less a new outfit."

Rebekah just rolls her eyes at me. My smile falters for a moment, and I stutter through my words as I try to ask the question that's been plaguing my thoughts. "Rebekah, is there something going on that I'm not supposed to know about?"

Her movements falter for a split second, but she covers it up by pretending to look at a shirt. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Klaus has been having Kol go on all these 'errands,' neither of you lets me out of their sight, and every time I walk into a room I feel like the topic is changed." My arms cross over my chest."And please, don't treat me like I'm being paranoid. I've asked Kol about it, but he just pretends he doesn't know what I'm talking about and changes the subject."

Rebekah is frozen in place. Tension radiates from every inch of her as she avoids my gaze. "Trust me, Lee. This isn't something you want to get involved in."

"Does it have something to do with the cure?" I ask and nod in confirmation when her eyes flick toward me for a split second. "I should have guessed as much. What's so bad about it that I can't handle? I'm already involved with your family, and there's no going back now."

"Kol asked that we keep you out of it, and my brothers agreed." She sighs as she hands me a bundle of clothes. "Come on, you can try clothes on while we talk."

I barely manage a nod as we walk back to the dressing rooms. Rebekah hands me one outfit at a time and tells me everything through the curtain while I dress. "So, why exactly did Kol not want me involved?" I question softly as I slip on a sleek, vibrant blue top on.

"It's not what you think. He knows you're capable of handling anything, but he's doing it to keep you from going down a path that you may regret. I know my brother; as much as he tries to pretend he doesn't care, he doesn't fool me. Kol knows you're friends with Jeremy Gilbert. If you get involved in current events, the former may no longer be true."

"Why? What does Jeremy have to do with the cure for vampirism?" I exit the dressing room so Rebekah can look me over, and it clicks in my mind. "Does it have anything to do with him being a hunter? Also, I thought Kol was against Klaus finding the cure. Why would he be helping him?"

Rebekah ignores my questions for a minute as she purses her lips. "No, that won't do. Go try on the next one."

I stand my ground with arms crossed; a sigh passes her lips as she answers my questions. "Yes, it has everything to do with Jeremy being a hunter. Apparently, his tattoo is a map to the cure. Secondly, yes, Kol is very much against us finding the cure. He has some crazy notion that the immortal buried with it will rise and kill us all. Klaus is only having him watch the Salvatore brothers to make sure they don't get a hold of any white oak stakes we may have missed."

"So Kol, who is rarely worried or scared, tells you something is dangerous, yet you still don't listen? I know things are complicated in your family, but I would listen to him if I were you. It wouldn't be the first time he was right about something like this." I retort as I return to the dressing room for the next outfit.

Rebekah's footsteps echo as she paces in front of the curtain. "Would you want him to take it—the cure I mean?" I bite my lip in thought for a moment.

Silence drags between us as I slip out of the last outfit and prepare the next alongside my thoughts. "A part of me would, but I couldn't ask that of him. Yes, it would be amazing to have a normal life with Kol, you know, one where we have the chance to get married, have kids, and grow old together. I could see it happening too.

"Although, I know that if I were to ask, and he did it for me, I would wake up every morning with a sense of dread. I'd always be scared that he would come to resent me for it. Maybe something would happen, and he realized it wasn't what he wanted. There would have to be more reason than just me. Kol would have to want a mortal life, without adding me into the equation. So, no, I wouldn't want him to take it unless it was entirely his choice."

Her voice comes out soft and drenched in emotion. "I wish I had someone who loved me like that. Then again, I would give anything to have a normal life with someone."

I step out and rest a hand on her shoulder. "You'll find it someday. It might not be who, how, or when you'll expect it, but it will happen. I can feel it."

Her eyes crinkle from a smile, and her arms squeeze me to her tightly. "I often wondered what it would be like to have a sister. Now, I know, and I'm glad it was you." A warm feeling emerges in my chest at her words. "Also, that's definitely the outfit you should wear tonight." She directs me toward the mirror.

It takes me a moment to connect myself with the girl in the mirror. A blood-red top, black high waisted jeans, both of which hug my skin just enough to show off my curves, and my caramel combat boots.

I find a small smile creeping across my face at the rush of confidence I feel from the outfit. "Yeah, it's perfect."

Rebekah's phone rings, which breaks the little bubble of normalcy we had. Her posture stiffens when she looks at the screen, and she rolls her eyes as she answers. "What is it now, Nik?" Agitation is clearly written on her features. It morphs into something else the longer the silence that comes from her hangs on. The arched eyebrow slowly creases, and the curve of her lips twists dramatically downward.

I step forward. It doesn't take a genius to realize something's wrong, and with the circulation of enemies and phantom white oak stakes, my heart races in my chest. Not to mention, Klaus has Kol out watching one of their top enemies. Rebekah's eyes dart to me for a split second.

My knees turn to jello under me. Carpet feels like needles in my hands. Everything spins and swims in front of me, and her voice sounds far off. My chest tightens up until I can do nothing but press my head into the floor as if I could pass through to the other side of the world. "Lee," Rebekah's voice finally reaches me, "we need to get you back to the house."


	19. 19

I wanted to scream the whole time. Rebekah refused to say a word and constantly looked over her shoulder until we were safely back at the mansion. My limbs were trembling so violently I feared they would break off at the slightest touch. I kept peppering Rebekah with questions, but she only ushered me on with worried looks.

The mansion was horrifyingly silent when we arrived. The walls seemed to hold their breath in anticipation for something to happen. Klaus was a statue in the front room. Elijah pulled at his tie in irritation, and I felt a stutter in my chest as I searched for the last Mikaelson. No one would meet my gaze as I looked around the room.

My heart drummed in my ears overpowering every other sound. Every nerve in my body seemed to fray with each passing second, and I nearly swung a fist when a hand touched my shoulder. "It's okay, Ace." Kol's voice was soft and kind, yet I still feel tears building in my eyes. "Hey, hey. Everything's alright. I'm right here." He pulls me into his chest and strokes my hair as he whispers reassurances to me.

"Thank goodness you're okay." I sigh as I regain my composure. "What happened? Why is everyone so freaked out?"

"What didn't happen is probably a better question." Klaus mumbles angrily. "The Salvatore's have found more white oak stakes, Alaric has developed a psychotic, second personality, and—" His voice drifts off as he takes in my already dismayed expression.

It's clear there's something he's refusing to say, and a pit develops in my stomach when I realize it must involve me. "And what else?" All eyes divert away from mine, each of them too scared to meet my gaze. "Come on, you're some of the most powerful vampires around, yet you can't tell me?"

Elijah finally whispers after a long moment, "It's your father." My head instantly snaps in his direction. I consciously hold my breath as I wait for him to continue. "There was a disagreement , and he's currently in the hospital."

Every fiber in me bristles with anger, it was exactly what I saw in my first vision. "Let me guess, he was stabbed with a broken bottle." I flex my jaw and meet Elijah's gaze with fire in my blood. "Who did it?"

Elijah seems to sense my anger and hunger for revenge, because he remains deathly silent. Klaus, on the other hand, has no qualms about giving me the information. "Damon Salvatore."

I give Klaus a curt nod as I turn on my heel and march out the front door. Kol follows after me without a moment's hesitation. "Ace, shouldn't you go visit your dad before you run off hellbent on revenge?"

"I'll visit him after Damon learns his lesson."

"No, you're not." Kol argues, and his tone stops me dead in my tracks. "You're angry, hurt, and not thinking straight. If there's one thing you've taught me, it's to clear your head before making snap decisions. So, you need to see and talk to your dad first."

I'm half tempted to refuse and snap at him, but the other half knows he has a point. Although, if it were anyone else saying it at the moment, I would probably snap and leave. The tension in my muscles releases, and I relax in his grip. "Fine. Let's go to the hospital first, but I'm still gonna kick Damon's butt after."

Kol chuckled and pressed a hasty kiss to my temple as he opened my car door. "I would expect nothing less from you, Ace. Plus, I'd never miss a chance to get into some trouble."

The continuous beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room aside from my dad's laboring breath, and it was driving me nuts. We've only been here for a few minutes, but everything in the room is grating on my nerves. "Maybe I should just come back when he's awake." I mumble to Kol as I shift around in the stiff hospital chair. "I hate hospitals. I'd rather not be here any longer than I have to."

"Nope. The nurse said he should be waking up soon." He lets out an audible sigh as he takes the seat next to me. "Plus, you need to do this. He's been trying to talk to you for a week, and you can't ignore him forever."

"I wasn't planning on it. I was just hoping to delay this kind of conversation until we were both in a better place." My temples throb to the rhythm of the heart monitor, and I rub them in hopes of relieving the pressure. A groan comes from the center of the room as my dad finally stirs. "Don't move too much. You might pop your stitches." I warn as I push myself to my feet and stand at the foot of the bed.

His voice comes out soft and lined with more than physical pain. "Lee? Is that you?"

I watch him for a moment, lying hurt and on the verge of tears, and in that second, the walls I've worked so hard to build start to crack. "Yeah, Dad. It's me." He regards me with a weak, half smile. "The nurses told me you had a pretty nasty cut. How are you feeling?"

"Better than I was before." I feel Kol's eyes watching the exchange. My dad finally takes notice of him and visibly stiffens. "Lee, I was hoping I could speak to you about something privately."

"Actually, I'd prefer if he stayed. If it's so important that you call me for a week straight, then having Kol in here shouldn't bother you." Kol waits at my side with a hand on the small of my back. It's his way of silently asking if this is the best idea, but he's here for me either way. "Now, what did you want to talk about?"

A long moment stretches out as my dad darts his eyes between Kol and I. Then, when her realizes I'm not going to budge, he quietly says. "It's about your birth parents, and other matters."

My interest is immediately piqued. Even after all the dead ends and other drama, I still want to know everything I can about them. I lean forward on my hands and stare my father down. "What about them?"

"There's a lot I haven't told you, but you're almost eighteen. The records will be released to you by then, and honestly, I'd rather you hear about it from me." He takes a deep breath, wincing at the tension it puts on the stitches. "I lied to you. Both your mom and I met them. Well, your father at least. I only ever saw a glimpse of your mother when we finalized the adoption, but he told me quite a bit about her and you."

My jaw clenches and fingernails press into my palms. If I'm not careful, there will a few more crescent shaped scars before the end of the day. "What do you mean about me? Who were they? And why didn't you tell me all of this before?"

"Your birth father told me everything. He said you needed to be somewhere safe, and he wanted your mom and he wanted us to be prepared for what may come. His name was Judah, Judah Rousseau, and I can't remember your mother's name. Except he always referred to her as 'Claire.' I didn't know him very well, but you remind me of him.

"He told me that you were the brightest spot in his life, and it broke his heart to have to let you go. I didn't understand everything he said at the time. Probably because most of it seemed too fantastical to be real. He told me that he and your birth mother had abilities , which he knew would be passed down to you, but ended up presenting themselves in ways he couldn't help you with. I didn't know how to ask more about it, and he didn't seem too keen on explaining."

"So you're saying, you've known what I was all this time?" Anger, wonder, and curiosity seem to alternate crashing on me in waves.

"I was never sure, but yes. I've had a pretty good idea of what you were and could do." He manages a half smile at me. "Why do you think I never told your mom about how your bedroom door actually broke? Or why I always did research for supernatural books? Judah had warned me that strange things would probably happen when you got upset, but he also explained that it wouldn't last forever. You would drain yourself eventually, is how he put it.

"He and I had quite a few conversations over those weeks. I don't remember everything, but he told me the story of how he fell in love with your mother, the day he found out he was going to be a father, and how much it broke his heart to not be able to keep you safe and seeing the way your mother would look at you. He called you his 'light.' The last day I saw him, he gave me that ring to give you when you were older. I didn't want to ask, but I'm pretty sure their marriage wasn't coping well after having to give you up. Although, he wanted you to have that so you knew that you were the most important part of is life.

"As for why I never told you," He pauses for a split second as his eyes drift over to Kol, "I was scared I would lose you. That a part of you would wake up and realize you weren't my blood and stop caring. I also worried that you would put yourself in too much danger if you became a part ofthat world. Although, I have a feeling you already know what he is." My dad looks at Kol, and I manage a nod as I slip my hand into his.

"But I am a part of it. I always have been, even before I realized it. Now, I'm in deep, and yeah, it can get dangerous sometimes. Still, I know this is where I belong, where I'm supposed to be, and yet, I know I'm still myself. I'm still your daughter. You never lost me, Dad. The only person you've lost is yourself." Pressure builds behind my eyes, and I force myself to keep back the brewing tears. "I forgive you, by the way. For everything."

He stares down at his lap with an intent focus and struggles to nod as I move to the door. "I'll be back later to visit you again. Get some rest, Dad. We can talk more later."

I make it to the hallway and out of sight before the grip on my heart becomes too tight. My hands falls to my knees with my hair creating a curtain keeping me from the rest of the world. Everything around me seems to pulse and blur together. A tear makes a track down my face, which I angrily wipe away, and I lean into the touch of the hand on my shoulder. "I would ask if you're okay, but I'm pretty sure I know the answer." Kol whispers into my hair as he holds me against his chest.

"I spent so long thinking that it hurt them to give me away, that maybe they wanted to keep me, but I never expected that." My breathing slowly begins to even out as I rest my head on Kol's chest and we sway back and forth. "I didn't expect to hear that one parent wanted to keep me, and the other wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible, or that it was all because of this stupid power I can't even control yet." The bitterness of my words fills my mouth and overtakes my senses. Fingers curl into fists, lip turns upwards, and eyes narrow in disdain.

Kol notices the change and pulls away to look me in the eye. "Hey," When I don't meet his eyes, he lifts my chin forcing me to. "Did you not hear him? Your biological father loved you more than anything else, and you have another dad in their broken up because he thought you would hate him and who would do anything for you. Just because one parent was too blind to see the amazing woman in front of me doesn't mean you should take for granted everyone else who cares."

I look into his deep brown eyes and see only the love that I feel in my own heart reflected back at me. "Thank you." The words come out in a soft, delicate whisper. "Thank you for being the one who keeps me grounded in the light."

"I'm only returning the favor that you've done for me, Ace." Kol smiles as he presses a kiss to my forehead as he continues to sway us back and forth in the hallway of the hospital. I chuckle as I melt into his arms.

This is what love is. It's dancing in the most unlikely places, feeling like you're not the only one in your own feet, and the joy that comes even in the worst pain. This is the kind of love that comes once and every other love is compared against.

I smile up at Kol as I pull away with his hand in mine. "Come on, Mikaelson. I believe you promised me a date tonight."

Kol quirks an eyebrow. His classic smirk dancing across his features. "What about your revenge plan for Damon?"

"I'll give him a night of false peace. Plus, all I want right now is to forget the drama and be with you." I press a kiss to his lips, relishing in the feeling the flows in my veins at the sensation. "Also, I'm pretty sure Bex would kill both of us if she found out we didn't take a night off after all the nagging she's done."

"True. Rebekah does get quite upset when people don't listen to her." He presses another long, deep kiss to my lips before he continues. "And I would never turn down an opportunity to spend the night with my favorite girl." We share another quick kiss before climbing into the car and driving back to the mansion to get clean up before tonight's date. The whole drive, I find myself staring at Kol, taking in every feature, each line in his face, the curve of his jawline and lip, and all the while wonder what I did to find someone who fit me so well.

The moment we walked in the door, Rebekah was immediately looking me over for damage or any sign of blood. "Are you okay? Is your dad alright? And for goodness sake, please, tell me if I need to rip someone's head off for hurting you."

I bite back a chuckle at the last comment. "No, Rebekah. I'm fine. We just visited my Dad at the hospital and came back to clean up for tonight. I figured I'll give Damon one more night of freedom before I show him not to mess with my family." I smile at Kol and take his hand in mine. "I think tonight should just be about the good things."

I catch Klaus cracking a half-hearted, sad smile when he thinks no one is looking. He meets my eyes and offers a nod. There's a pain in his eyes, and I can tell there's a spot in his heart that wants nothing more than to have someone fill it. Although, I know he'll never admit it, Klaus needs someone to love just like the rest of us.

Rebekah ushers me up the stairs before anything else can happen, and I nearly stumble multiple times from her quick pace. "Get dressed and then sit down. I'm going to do your hair and makeup for you. After all, that outfit deserves only the best look."

A comfortable silence settles over us as she curls my hair and pins pieces back. Although the longer span of time that passes, the more I notice her fidgeting and biting her lip in an internal debate. "Okay, spill. What's on your mind?"

Rebekah's eyes stay trained on my hair. "I assume you spoke to your father, and I was curious how it went?"

I nod and turn over the thoughts in my head trying to figure out exactly how to explain everything. "It went as well as possible under the circumstances. To be perfectly honest, I don't think he likes the idea of me being involved in this world—or with Kol." A frustrated sigh escapes my lips as I try to wipe my eyes around the makeup Rebekah so carefully applied. "He also told me more about my biological parents. Apparently, he got to know my father quite well and didn't want to tell me just before the record would be available to me."

"Just be glad you have parents who care enough to tell you things like that, or to keep them from you in the first place." The long contained bitterness is clear in her voice. I can't blame her for the feeling though, or for the jealousy her body language conveys. If our roles were reversed, I probably wouldn't be so tactful and kind to someone in my situation. "So, what will you do? About your biological and adoptive parents, I mean."

"Well, I'm going to sit down and have a talk with my mom and dad. I want them to know that I won't stop being their daughter, forgive them for the secrecy, and know that I'm going to try to find my biological parents soon. As for when that will happen, I have no clue. It will probably be after all this Esther, white oak stake, and cure business settles down."

"That's probably a good idea. We could always use someone like you in our corner." She smiles at me through the mirror, and I gratefully return it. We chat for a little while longer as she does her final touches and takes one last look. "Now, I think it's time for you to make my brother drool. Don't you?"

"I never turn down an opportunity to shock Kol." I laugh as she takes my arm as she pulls me out of the room and downstairs to my waiting boyfriend. Rebekah forces me to pause in the hallway as she 'announces' me, and I can't help but roll my eyes at her need for the theatrics.

Still, the look on Kol's face made all of it seem worth it. His eyes widened, jaw went slack for a split second, and a garbled mess of gibberish poured out of his lips. "Ace—you—I—wow." Kol shakes his head to clear away the fog over his thoughts. "You look breathtaking, and I think I just realized how lucky I am."

"Well, I hope you had an idea of that before I got all dolled up." I chuckle as I kiss his cheek. He merely laughs too and nods in agreement. "We should probably get going before it gets too busy."

Kol helps me to slip on my jacket and his hand settles in its usual place on my waist as we say our goodbyes and leave. "God, you really do look beautiful, Ace." Kol sighs as I climb into the car. I roll my eyes and chuckle at him, but he won't let it drop. "I'm serious. I have to be the luckiest guy ever to be able to call you my girlfriend."

I lean towards him until our lips are centimeters apart. "Yeah, I guess I'm pretty lucky too." Our lips brush for a split second before I devilishly smile and pull away. I close the car door between us and motion for Kol to get inside. "You have to take me out before you get a kiss, Mikaelson."

The Grille was its usual hub of life and activity when we walked inside hand in hand, and Kol being himself found it necessary to offer to compel us a table. "That won't be necessary. Remember, for just a few hours, we're not an Original and a witch. We're just Lee and Kol." A true smiles slowly creeps across his features. "So, instead of using your solution to literally everything. We're taking the average route."

"Which is what exactly?" Kol questions with a raised eyebrow as he laces his fingers with mine. I try to not let my heart speed up too much at the gesture, but a part of me is still as smitten as I was on day one. There's a piece of my heart that is now owned by the arrogant, yet sweet, Original in front of me. Of course, he has his moments and characteristics that get on my every nerve, but despite it all, I find myself still choosing to love him.

"I was thinking we could play a round of pool? Loser buys drinks." I give him smirk as I add on, "If you think you can handle the challenge, that is, and most likely getting your butt kicked."

Something in Kol's eyes darkens just a little bit. It's usually the way he looks before he's about to get angry or doing something rash, but occasionally, it's the change I see when the controlled devilish side of him comes out. "Oh, you are so on." I don't have to say another word before he's dragging me over to the pool tables and prepping everything. He hands me the cue. "Go ahead and break."

I take the cue from him, making sure that our hands just barely brush as I say. "I never break first, but I'll make an exception." Kol's eyes widen for a split second at the comment, and he just shakes his head. I lean over the table and line up my shot. It doesn't go as smoothly as I had expected, but it was a clean start nonetheless. "Well, looks like I'm stri—" I turn around to look at Kol only to find his eyes trained on my butt. "Really, Mikaelson?"

His eyes immediately break away when he realizes he's been caught. He tries to appear casual about it as he smirks, but I still notice the slight red-tinge on his cheeks. I bite my lip to hold back the chuckle threatening to escape. I made the mighty Kol Mikaelson blush. "Sorry, Ace. I was just admiring the view."

I roll my eyes and punch his arm for the comment. "Mhm. Keep your eyes up here, Mikaelson."

Kol gives me an unfamiliar look as he takes a step closer to me, until there is only an inch of space between us. "And what happens if I don't?" He questions as one hand settles on my waist, and the other trails over my arm, lingering on every space of exposed skin from the cutouts on my sleeve. "Please, enlighten me."

The meaner side of me starts to make an appearance as I look into his eyes. My hands settle on his chest, and I barely brush my lips against his as I whisper. "I'll tell Rebekah, and let you deal with her wrath." I gently push him back a little bit, and he looks genuinely worried for a second.

"You wouldn't. You're not that cruel, Ace."

"Or am I?" I tease with my chin lifted and defiance in my eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you to not underestimate me?"

"An infinite amount, apparently. Because it seems like you surprise me every time I turn around." He laughs and pulls me into a kiss. I laugh against his lips before kissing back.

Every nerve in my body seems to become heightened as we kiss. I suddenly become hyper aware of the way his palm gently rests against my waist, how his fingers mess with strands of my hair, and especially the smile the way he fights a smile as our lips move along to the same rhythm. I break away with a smile and take a deep breath after the long kiss. "Come on. No more games, it's your turn."

Kol sighs and pretends to pout as he steps back and lines up his shot. Unfortunately, he's a much better pool player than I anticipated, and Kol being Kol, he was more than happy to be a complete show off. "I'm getting drinks, while you're doing that. Bourbon, right?" I question, and he gives me a quick nod.

I weave my way through the crowd and manage my way to the bar. Matt stands behind the counter and rushes from one end to the other. His attention eventually settles on me, and a genuine smile crosses his face, which is quite unusual for me to see from one of the Mystic Falls gang. "Hey, Lee. How are you doing?"

"As good as I can with the Mystic Falls drama, but tonight is our night off." I try to casually mention it, but it still causes Matt to look over my shoulder at Kol. "Don't worry, he's not going to cause any trouble. We're taking our night off, and he's not as bad as you guys think."

Matt's smile tenses and he raises his eyebrows. "I guess, I'm just gonna have to take your word for it."

"You are, and I hope that's enough for you to at least give him a chance." I sigh and decide it's best to change the topic. "Anyway, can I get a bourbon and a sprite."

"You don't drink?" Matt questions as he pours the drinks, clearly thankful for the topic change.

"I prefer not to. The only time I've really had any alcohol is at parties or sipping my dad's scotch, which I never really got used to." He chuckles and shakes his head as he slides the drinks across the counter. "Thanks, Matt. I'll see you around?" Matt chorus an affirmation before he's called away by an impatient patron from down the bar. I wish him luck as I saunter back to Kol with the drinks in hand.

"It's a good thing you bought drinks, Ace. Because if I'm not mistaken, you lost." Kol teases as he gladly accepts his drink.

"Yeah, and you totally played fairly." I roll my eyes as I reset the table. Halfway through, a set of strong hands hold onto my waist, and Kol's hot breath fans against my neck.

"Come now, Ace. Do you really think I would cheat?" He asks as he rests his chin on my shoulder. I roll my eyes practically feeling the puppy eyes he's giving me.

"Yes, I know you would."

"Or maybe you're not as good as you thought." He pauses as his arms shift so that I'm pulled against his chest. "I could always give you lessons."

I turn around and let my hands rest on his chest. My smirk mirrors Kol's as we both start to lean in, only to be horribly interrupted "Oh, keep it PG you two." The horribly familiar voice calls out.

Every muscle in Kol's body tenses and his expression darkens. I meet his eyes and silently tell him to keep his temper under control. Still, Kol doesn't let go of my waist as I face the worse Salvatore. "What do you want, Damon? I mean, is it too much for us to have one night of peace, or do you are you looking to get yourself into trouble?"

Damon ignores the questions as his cold, blue eyes unashamedly roam over my body. "Well, wherever the Mikaelson's go, trouble follows." He chuckles and meets my eyes with faux innocence. "Honestly, I don't know what a sweet girl like you is doing with him. You could do a lot better."

The comment makes Kol snap, but I hold up my hand. He's not the only one peeved by the comment, so I let myself fall into the annoyance and anger as I leave Kol's embrace. Damon's Cheshire Cat grin only grows as I walk closer to him with a sickly, sweet smile. "You know, maybe you're right, about trouble following them," I pause and look up at him through my lashes for an extra effect. "but the same is said for you, yet you still pine after Elena." Damon bristles at the comment and clearly struggles to keep composed. I lean closer to him, my voice down to a whisper. "Also, I'm not as nice a girl as I look, and don't think I forgot about what you did to my Dad. I suggest sleeping with an eye open."

Damon clutches his head in pain. He scoffs out a string of insults as I grab Kol's arm and leave without a second glance. "So,—" Kol questions as he helps me slip on my jacket as if nothing had happened at all. "—where to next?"

"So this is where you're always sneaking off to." Kol chuckles as he sits next to me on the ledge. "I wondered where you're always hiding."

"What can I say? It's peaceful up here, and it helps me think." My head rests against his shoulder and I let my feet dance over the edge of the clocktower. "Kol?"

"Ace?" He retorts, and I can practically feel the smirk on his features. Although his body language shifts when he realizes the weight in my voice. "What is it?"

I chew on my lip for a moment as I gather my thoughts and courage. "What's going to happen if Klaus finds the cure? If Silas wakes up?"

"How do you know about—?" Kol begins to question, but I kindly cut him off to explain.

"Just because you keep stuff from me, doesn't mean I don't know about it." I take his hand once again and look into the eyes that have captured my heart. "I forced it out of Rebekah, because I knew something was bothering you that you wouldn't tell me about, and it hurt that you wouldn't trust me."

"I do, Ace. It's just—complicated, which I'm sure you already know. A sigh escapes his lips, and his fingers curl under my chin, lifting it so I have no choice but to meet his eye. "My primary concern isn't about Klaus finding the cure, which is its own set of problems. No, what worries me is that they'll wake up the one holding it—Silas. If that happens, we're all dead."

My heart pounds in my chest at the worry that etches lines across his face and only deepens as he continues. "I met a group of people who were obsessed with him." Kol continues to tell me the story and spares no detail. "Now, you understand why I can't let them find it."

I barely manage to numbly nod my head, yet despite the fear in my chest, a cold determination settles in my bones. "What can we do to stop it?"

"We, huh?" A chuckle rumbles Kol's chest and puts a spark in his eyes. "I quite like the sound of that."

"I do too. Maybe we should discuss the topic more often."

"Such as?" Kol questions as he pulls me to his chest. It's a serious conversation, but there isn't the distressing weight to it that I would have expected.

"Well, like—what's going to happen when I leave to find my birth parents, after that, where do you see this going, if you see us together in the years to come, and things like that."

There's a silence that settles over us as we both think it over. My mind drifts to the warmth from Kol's body, the safety and comfort I feel wrapped in his arms. That's when I realize—this—this is where I want to be forever. I want to have stupid arguments, to make up when we both forget what we were fighting about, to face every danger with him, to wake up in his arms, to have 3am conversations about everything and nothing, and to know home is right here with him. It's all I want for forever.

"That's precisely what I want too." Kol whispers, and I look up at him in shock. "You were mumbling, and it's exactly what I want for us too. Although, one day, I want to take you everywhere. I want to kiss you on the Eiffel Tower, roam the hills of Ireland, go dancing in Barcelona with you, or wherever you want to go. I would do anything if it meant I was there with you."

I smile and feel happy tears building in my eyes. "Then let's go. We'll pack our bags and never look back."

"Sounds like a plan, Ace." Kol smiles, and we both lean into each other like magnets. Our lips connect, and a new kind of sensation passes through me. It's as if he sets every nerve in me on edge and put fire in my veins. Fireworks would look dull in comparison to this, and I feel as infinite and bright as the stars as we kiss.

Kol pulls me on his lap, and I happily oblige. Even as the kiss escalates, I feel nothing but confidence that this is right in every way. My fingers gently mess with the short hairs at the base of his neck, and his hands grip onto my hips for dear life.

Although, the euphoria of the moment all comes crashing down when we hear a scream echoing through our ears. I pull away in shock and look at Kol in confusion, but it turns into sheer panic as we hear a much deeper voice yell in terrible agony. My stomach drops at the silence that follows, and my thoughts run wild with possibilities. All of which agree on one thing—something terrible just happened.


	20. 20

In an instant, I was up and rushing to the stairs. The sound of my blood pumping in my ears and drowning out Kol's shouts. I only stop for a second when I run right into his chest. "Kol, we don't have time to argue. We have to go."

He holds on to my shoulders as he speaks, and I can hear the worry and fear that lace his words. "No, you don't. Let me take care of it."

"After all this time, I thought you'd realize I can take care of myself. Now we can finish this argument after." I pull myself from his grip and shout over my shoulder as I run down the stairs. "For all we know that could have been one of your siblings."

Kol makes no further arguments as we run through the streets to the source of the screams. By the time we get there, all that's left is the aftermath. A charred body lies on the ground with a stake in his chest.

I recoil as the rancid smell reaches my nose. Burnt hair, charred flesh, and other various smells mingle together that makes me instantly nauseated, but its the image in front of me that does the most damage.

Images run through my head of a memory I've tried to bury. Pictures of a similar alley way, another dead vampire, and my hands surging with the power I stole. My limbs start to tremble under the weight of the memories, yet I still find myself stepping closer to the prone figure.

A noise echoes from the entrance of the alley, which sends Kol and I on the immediate defensive. I raise my hands and target the woman as she rushes in. Kol doesn't hesitate as he pins her against the wall by her throat. I keep the spell going as I wait for Kol to make his move, but after a moment, recognition dawns on his face. "Sage, it hasn't been long enough."

I let go of the magic coiled around her, and she snarls at me and Kol. "I was just about to say the same thing to you." She pauses for a second as she looks us over. "You wouldn't happen to know where Finn is? I heard he was back in town again."

"Why do you care?" I question without bothering to hide my disdain. "He probably left after his suicide mission failed."

She snarls and steps forward in anger, but she clearly thinks better of attacking me. "I care because I love him, and he would never do something like that."

"Actually he did." Kol tells her, and she immediately turns on him.

Sage shouts in his face for a few moments, until she finally acknowledges the stench and the body it comes from. I turn to the body, and all at once, realization hits me. I turn back toward the two of them. Tears start to well up in Sage's eyes as she runs toward Finn's dead body and begins to weep.

I cover my mouth in shock and run out of the alleyway in search of a way to breathe. I never liked Finn, mostly because he helped his mother kidnap and try to kill his family, but there's no way to ignore the empathy I feel for Sage. There is no way I can understand that pain. Even imagining losing Kol brings me to a verge of breaking. The mere thought makes it hard to breathe.

His strong arms wrap around me and pull me to his chest. "It's real isn't it? They really do have white oak stakes, which means you're all in danger." I babble out the words that flood through my head. "We have to stop them. Next it could be Rebekah, or Klaus, or even Elijah, or—oh gosh, they could hurt you."

"Lee, I promise you, I will not let that happen. We will make sure that they don't get the chance to hurt any of us." His eyes stare deeply into mine as he brushes away my tears with his thumbs. "I'm not going anywhere. Understand?" I barely manage a nod as tears continue to roll down my face. "Come on, let's get you home, darling." Kol says nothing as he wraps his arm over my shoulder, and we walk back to the car in silence.

I stare out the window in silence the whole drive back. My knuckles turn white from the repeated clenching of my fists in an attempt to fight away the thoughts that haunt my mind. It's a loop of the same images that meld together, split, and meld all over again in a horrifying loop. I press my fingers to my eyes as if the pressure will push everything out.

Kol's hand wraps around my wrist and pulls my hands from my face. "Talk to me, Ace."

"What's there to talk about?" I snap, but immediately soften when I realize the hostility of my tone. After all, Kol did just lose a brother, and no matter how estranged, it still must hurt. "Sorry, I just—don't know how to process all of this."

I lean back in my seat to watch him as he drives. His fingers lace themselves through mine in the most comforting way. "To be perfectly honest, I don't either. If this was one of Klaus's fits of rage where he stuck the dagger in Finn for another few centuries, I could understand. This is a whole new territory for me." The bitterness in his voice is accompanied by a sharp tension in his jaw and a fire in his eyes.

He's always gotten this way when the memories of Klaus's punishments resurface. I give his hand a few quick squeezes to remind him I'm still here and bring him back. It's been our way of pulling the other from the edge, which has been happening more than I'm comfortable with lately. "Can I ask you a favor?" I call out without thinking. Kol doesn't voice a reply, but raises his eyebrow and waits for me to continue. "I want you to look in my mind when I sleep. I know, it may sound crazy, but something about the situation coupled with the nightmares is troubling. I've stopped taking the vervain long enough for it to be out of my system. So all I need is for you to take a look."

A hint of mischief is clear in his tone as he asks, "Are you sure? I could cause quite a lot of mischief. You might want to think about it before you let me in your head."

A laugh bubbles from my lips as he smirks and raises his eyebrows. "Well, you already cause plenty of mischief outside my head, so I think I can handle it." I smile at him as I continue on. "Plus, it's not like there's anything secret or remotely interesting that you don't already know."

"Really? Nothing?" Kol questions as if responding to a challenge. "No secret thoughts about how much you adore me, dark past, or other secrets?"

"Nope. If anything, you'll probably see a lot of annoyance towards you." I tease, to which he feigns deep hurt. "Hey, you know, I love you all the time, but I only like you some of the time."

"Well, I love you all the time, and I like you most of the time." He replies as he lifts my hand to press a quick kiss to it as we pull into the driveway. The car comes to a stop, but neither of us makes a move to leave. "You know—" Kol's voice rings out as he draws out the syllable and his fingers brush a loose strand of hair from my face. "—we never did finish that kiss on the clocktower."

I smile and unbuckle so I can lean over the console easier. Kol's smile only grows the closer I get. His eyes keep flicking from mine to my lips. I make sure we're close enough for our lips to brush as I say. "I know, but you're gonna have to wait for it."

Kol groans and lets his head fall against the headrest. "You're so mean sometimes, Ace."

"It's why you love me."

"That I do." He confirms as he places a hand on the back of my neck and pulls me in for a kiss before I can react, yet I still instinctively melt into the action. It feels like only a second before he pulls away, clearly pleased with himself at my dismay. "Come on, we have another situation to deal with."

I chuckle, nod as we climb out, and walk inside the mansion. "Tonight was fun while it lasted. We should do it more often." Kol nods as he laces our fingers together, but otherwise, he remains perfectly still. The look on his face is the one I've become accustomed to when he thinks I'm not looking, but right now, it's mixed with emotions I can't identify. I raise my eyebrows in curiosity. "What's that look for?"

"Just wondering if this is the kind of moment where the boy kisses the girl before saying goodnight." He smiles softly as he tenderly moves his hands to my waist. I return his smile as he pulls me close and our lips mould together. Our foreheads rest against each other as we break apart, and Kol's breath fans against my lips as he speaks. "I really do love you, Ophelia Mitchell."

"I love you too, Kol Mikaelson." A sigh escapes my lips as we stand there.

Unfortunately, the moment is broken when Klaus opens up the front door. He only chuckles when he sees how close we are. "We thought we heard you two. Come on, we have much to figure out." He turns back inside and calls, "Elijah, you owe Rebekah and I. They were out there kissing like two lovebirds."

"Did they seriously make a bet on us?" I question as Kol and I walk inside. The rest of the Mikaelson siblings wait in the main room for us, and relief clearly washes over them when they see for themselves that we're fine. "I suppose you want to talk about the white oak situation?"

"Yes, we should." Elijah replies as he stands and fixes his suit jacket. "Especially since there's been a development while you were gone." Curiosity and worry instantly takes over. I look at Elijah impatiently waiting for him to continue. "It appears that Finn's sire line has died with him."

"Wait—are you saying—?"

"Everyone that was turned by Finn's bloodline is gone." Rebekah cuts in. "Which means if one of us dies, than a whole string of vampires goes with us."

I nod as the gears rapidly turn in my head. "So that means, if there are more white oak stakes out there, then they'll have to figure out their sire line before they make a move." I turn to face each of the Mikaelsons in turn. "Alright, we have our work cut out for us. We have to trace their sire line and cut them off from finding out. If they don't know for sure, they'll never chance it." No one moves a muscle. "Come on, let's get to work." I snap, which effectively jolts them into action.

We spent the next half hour tracing through the intricacies of the Salvatore's sire line. "Okay, so Damon and Stefan were turned by Katerina, who was turned by Rose." Elijah reviews as he rubs the bridge of his nose. "That much we know for sure."

"Well if I remember correctly, Rose was turned by—Mary—wasn't it?"

"Ah, yes." Klaus smiles in a dark nostalgia. "Mary was quite the woman."

I turn to Kol with a raised eyebrow. "So does that mean Klaus is the one who turned her?" Kol only nods with a tired look on his face, which only shows more exhaustion as I stand up and move to Klaus. "So how do we find Mary?"

"Do we need to find Mary? Rose is long dead. They'll never be able to find out who turned her." Rebekah calls, but I only shake my head.

"Jeremy can talk to ghosts. He's seen Ana before, and I'm sure if he tried hard enough, he could contact Rose." I inform her and turn back to Klaus. "Now, tell me, where can we find Mary."

"How should I know? It's been quite a long time since I've seen her." Klaus retorts, to which I only roll my eyes.

"You and Elijah have had the past century to build up your contacts and network. I'm sure if you tried you could find her quite easily." I snap as my frayed nerves and fear get the best of me. "We don't have time for games or procrastination. This is your lives at stake."

My words hit Klaus like a slap to the face, because he finally seems to sober up to the situation. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good. I'm going to get a few things. We're gonna need to ready for a fight just in case." I tell them as I move to leave, but Kol stops me before I make it to the door. "Kol, don't argue with me on this."

"Funny, I was just about to tell you the same thing." He tells me, but I ignore him as I push past him and run up the stairs. "Lee, this isn't going to be the usual kind of situation."

"You think I don't know that?" I snap and tear open my drawer. "I can handle myself. I've been stockpiling my magic, and I have all the objects you've helped me create. Plus, there's now way you're leaving me behind. You need me."

"What I need is for you to not get hurt or killed." Kol tells me with an edge to his voice. His hands wrap around my wrists and stunt my movements. "I wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened, and don't forget that they'll likely bring Jeremy with them."

"So? I never signed up to kill anyone, but I will make sure he stays down if I have to." I pull my hands away from him. "I'm going with you, and that's final."

"No, it's not." He states as he picks me up with my arms pinned to my chest. I shout and kick at him as he drags me through the hallway.

Klaus comes running at the noise, and his gaze turns to a cold understanding as he nods his head. "It's down here." He tells Kol as he directs him through an unfamiliar hallway. Noise fills the hallway alongside my groans of trying to escape as Klaus opens up the metal door in front of us. "She'll be safe in there."

Kol releases me in the middle of the room, and Klaus keeps guard on the door. Both of them know it's merely a precaution. No matter how angry I am, I would never be able to truly hurt them. "So what? You're just gonna lock me in here forever? Am I suddenly some damsel locked away in a tower because she's too weak?"

"No, you're not too weak. You're just not prepared enough for this." Klaus tells me.

Kol sighs and places his hands on my shoulders, but I brush them off. "It's not forever either. I just need to know you're okay until this is over."

"And what if it's not over tonight? Will you reconvene to see if I'm ready for what's next?"

"We'll see when we get there." Kol tells me with one last look over his shoulder as he closes the door and locks it. "I'll see you when I get back."

I slam my palm against the door in frustration and let a string of colorful insults flow from my lips. "What is it with Mikaelson men thinking that we need to be locked away in order to be safe?" I question to no one as I pace the extent of the room. My fingers absentmindedly turn the ring on my necklace as I try to think of a way out.

Ever inch of the room is absent of the smallest trace of magic, and the closer I stand to the walls, the more I feel as though they're pulling energy in than exuding it. "Magical dampening. Smart move, Klaus." There isn't even a sliver of wood anywhere to be found. "You weren't joking when you said it was vampire and magic proof."

The edge of the bed dips under my weight, and my elbows dig into my upper thighs as I prop them up. "There's always a way out." I remind myself as I glare at every seam in the wall, the smallest detail, or anything that could hint at a way out. Although, if Klaus wanted this room to be a prison cell for someone, I highly doubt he would keep a secondary way out, which l leaves me with one option.

I move closer to the door. It's structured from thick sturdy metal, with only a slot at eye level and a doorknob on this side. A smile creeps on my face. Klaus neglected to block over the keyhole on this side. I pull a bobby pin out of my hair and slide it into the lock. My dad taught me how to pick a lock when I was seven. He told me it was so I could help him in his book research, but I just think he like teaching me to be a little bit mischievous.

The pin catches the tumbler for a split second before slipping away. I take a deep breath, steady my hands, and try it over again. It takes several tries before it really catches. The lock clicks, which sends a sigh of relief from my lips. "When will they learn that magic isn't everything?"

Rebekah and Elijah talk in the kitchen, oblivious to the fact that I'm slowly making my way out. I only catch a snippet of their conversation. "Elijah, they can't just lock her in there. She's willing and able to help."

"Kol and Niklaus believe its too much of a risk, and frankly, I feel the same. Therefore, Ophelia is to remain in that room until the situation allows otherwise." Elijah tells her with his firm, authoritative tone. Rebekah sighs, and I can practically hear her rolling her eyes.

"You're all a bunch of bloody idiots." She snaps as she stomps out of the room.

Unfortunately, I'm only halfway to the front door when she makes it to the hallway. Our eyes meet, and for a split second, I swear she's going to stop me. Instead, she gives me a slight nod. "Well, if you're going to insist on keeping her locked up, I'm going to bring her something to eat."

I take my chance and slip out the door with a set of keys under the cover of Rebekah's shouting. My phone vibrates in my pocket with a text. It's an attempt to apologize from Kol, but I ignore it for the moment. I know him, and by now, he probably kept a lot the stuff I could use to track him hidden, but luckily, he always forgets about technology.

We both agreed that we weren't going to be an obsessive or jealous couple right from the start, but Kol still insisted on needing to know my location in case of an emergency. Now, it gives me the perfect way to catch up with him and not need a drop of magic. All that's left is to make it to Bloody Mary's and make sure no one gets killed or hurt too badly, which leaves my work cut out for me knowing the Mikaelsons.


	21. 21

By the time I drove the SUV up the street, it was about twenty minutes after Kol got there, which meant there wasn't going to be much time before someone else showed up. I park the car a few houses down, pull the key from the ignition, and slip inside the house.

Kol immediately spins around at the sound of the door opening. Mary's heart still in his hand, and she's pinned up against the wall by a couple chair legs. "Little bit dramatic, don't you think?" I question as I close the door behind me.

His eyes widen in shock, and the heart lands with a stomach-churning thump. "You shouldn't be here." Kol stutters as he looks back at me and the body suspended against the wall. "How did you—when?"

"Let's just say Klaus didn't actually think of everything." I tell him as I pick up a dated doily and toss it to him. "Come on, we better get going. They'll probably be getting here soon."

"You really think I'm just gonna leave?"

"No, but I was hoping you would." Kol smirks and nods. I sigh as I collapse onto a stiff chair. "I brought your bat. Figured you might want it in case Damon gets annoying. Also, she had terrible taste in furniture. This chair is the most uncomfortable thing I've ever sat in."

"Don't try to change the topic." Kol tells me as his voice turns cold. "How did you really get out?"

"I picked the lock on the door, obviously. I don't need magic for everything." I tell him with an eye roll. I shift uncomfortably in the chair searching for an ounce of comfort. "Plus, I figured I'd save it for now. I can run damage control and make sure things don't go too horribly."

Kol stays silent for a moment, and we both keep eye contact waiting for the other to break. I know he's going to tell me I need to leave, that this is too dangerous, a lot could go wrong, and I should leave now. Still, I made a promise to help him, and I always keep my promises.

As if he can sense the stubborn determination burrowing in my chest, he lets out a deep breath. "Fine. You can help." I do my best not to crack a smile. He always pretends to be so tough, but when it comes to me, he's all fluff. "Stand watch outside, when the come in the house, put up a barrier and meet me in here. I want to make sure they don't run until I get through to them."

"Sounds good." I push myself to my feet and take a few steps toward the door, yet something in me tells me to wait. Kol looks at me in that strange bewilderment that only rarely appears. "I'm still mad at you by the way—for locking me up, but I couldn't let you do this by yourself."

He nods. Emotions cloud over his features, but disappear just as quickly. "I can't blame you for that. I'm just trying to keep you safe, but I'm sorry." It makes me crack a half smile. That's the first time I've ever heard him apologize, and to be honest, it felt good to know that he really does acknowledge his actions and mistakes every once in a while. Plus, he didn't try to tack on an 'I love you' to smooth it all over, which is something I've had previous boyfriends do.

"I forgive you, but I need you to remember that I don't need to be locked away to be safe. Safe is a relative term for people like us. It's something we have to go out and create instead of hiding away." The words get stuck in my throat and tears start to come to my eyes. "We'll find a way to be safe, but it's going to take time and teamwork."

"You're right. I'm just not used to having someone to work with and truly help me." Kol replies with a soft smile and tentatively steps forward. He waits until I don't flinch or back away before moving any closer. "I have to admit. It's a nice change."

"It is. Isn't it?" I grin as I step into his reach. His arms wrap around my waist and hold me like I could fade away at any moment. It's a notion I can't blame him for. Lately, I've felt so untethered from reality. I find myself getting so far into my own thoughts I fear that I'll drown and never re-emerge.

Maybe Kol was onto something when he said I'm not prepared for this. All it would take is one slip up and all of us are in danger. Not that it meant the solution was was locking me up, but I can understand some of the logic.

Kol continues to hold me close to him, and I relish in the feeling of his touch and soak in the stillness of the room. A moment later, I break away with a strained smile. "We better get ready. They're bound to be here soon."

"You're right. In fact—" he pauses as he pulls one of his baseball bats from behind a chair. "—I think that's them now."

I look at him in bewilderment until I hear the familiar engine rumble as it approaches. Kol smirks as I roll my eyes and grumble. "Stupid vampire hearing. Also, you could have mentioned you already had one of your bats."

"Yes, I could have, but I think it's adorable that you thought to bring one with you." He smiles for a split second before turning serious and directing me where to go and what he needed me to do. "Just do what you can to stay hidden. I don't want anything to happen to you."

I quickly take his hand in mine for a second. "It will be fine. If anything goes wrong, we have each other's back. No matter what." He simply nods and looks over my shoulder, most likely hearing something I can't. We split up, and I take one last look over my shoulder to see Kol taking his place. When our eyes meet, he offers a smile and mouths an 'I love you.'

Unfortunately, he turns away before I can tell him the same. So I slip into a shadowy hallway and linger behind the door, just out of sight as Jeremy and Damon enter the house. I don't hesitate to throw up a boundary spell around the house, which means they're trapped in here with us, and vice versa.

The conversation between the trio is muffled by the distance, but I manage to catch snippets. "White oak stake— your little witch," are the phrases that capture my attention most. Floorboards creak from the living room, and I can hear Kol's voice pretending to be nonchalant.

My heart pounds in my chest as the groaning of the wooden floor seems to come closer to where I am before slowly moving away, only to return a moment later. Damon must be searching for me. I move to cloak myself, until I remember the boundary that is slowly eating away at my magic. There's only enough magic for me to sustain one of them for a significant period, but I have a chance to keep both for a short time. I'd just have to time it perfectly.

Except, that plan has one major flaw—vampire hearing. Damon has likely already heard my heart pounding, which means if it suddenly drops away, it could just give him another clue to finding me. I'm left with only one option.

His footsteps approach my hiding spot, and I keep myself poised to look through the sliver of the open door. Our eyes meet for a split second, which sends a shiver down my spine. The same Cheshire Cat grin that he flashed my way when we first met reappears. Anger boils in my veins as I remember that night and what he did to my dad. So, without any warning or hesitation, my fingers twitch.

Simultaneously, a horrifying snap echoes through the quiet house, quickly followed by a thud as Damon's limp body falls to the floor. "Ugh. Thank goodness, I don't have to deal with seeing that stupid grin anymore." I sigh as I step over his limp form. My attention immediately turn to Jeremy, who stares at me like it's the first time he's truly seen me. I suppose it's half true. This is the first time he's ever seen me fully immersed in my emotions and magic. "Plus, I'm sure you'll be much easier to talk to alone."

"What exactly would you want to talk about?" Jeremy asks me, but his eyes remain locked on Kol as if he'll attack any second. I roll my eyes and move in between them. Jeremy's eyes look at me, but the tension in his muscles remains. "I'm not gonna stop if that's what you're wanting."

My jaw shifts. Of course, he just has to be ignorant and stubborn on the topic. "I mean, it was, but if you won't budge than I'm willing to negotiate." A scoff comes from both Jeremy and Kol. I glare at both of them in turn. "Look, I know you two are firmly planted where you stand on the matter, but maybe we can work out a middle ground until we can figure out how to solve the issue."

"What you mean is you want us to stop hunting them until you can convince us to stop entirely." Jeremy snaps with his hands clenched into fists. "Not happening."

"Well, there's always the option of tearing that arm off. No hope of finding Silas without the tattoo, right?" Kol steps around me and cocks his head to the side. "Is it the right or left arm? Never mind, I'll just rip off both to be sure."

"Both of you stop it." I shout as I rub my temples in frustration, but they pretend not to hear me as they lock onto each other's throats. In a matter of seconds, the room is trashed from the fight, Kol's bat is nothing more than splinters, and I have to run out to keep from joining the damage. "They can't be serious." I mumble to myself and prepare to stop them.

Unfortunately, a hand latches onto my wrist and twists it up my back. "Oh, I'm afraid they are." Damon whispers in my ear. How the heck did he wake up so quickly? I cry out in pain as he pushes my arm further. His voice fills with contempt. "Don't move to much, or you'll likely make me break your wrist. Although, it would only be fair. You broke my neck, I break your wrist. What do you think?"

"I think you should let her go, mate. Unless you fancy seeing what your own heart looks like." Kol snarls as he approaches, but it only urges Damon to push my wrist to the breaking point. I bite back the scream that bubbles in my chest alongside the snapping of my bone.

Jeremy stands next to Kol, his eyes full of concern and apologies. "Damon, stop. You're going too far."

"Really, Gilbert? I mean, I know you've got a crush on her, but she's with them." Damon snaps, and Jeremy's eyes widen at the mention of his secret. "So much for not letting your feelings get in the way, huh?"

"And how do you think your precious Elena will feel?" I question. This approach will leave me running on thin ice, but it's the best chance I have of throwing him off.

His first reaction is to put pressure on my broken wrist and twist my arm in a threat to break more of my bones. "Don't you dare talk about Elena."

"Why not? She's the only reason you're doing this, right? Because you feel guilty that she won't live a normal life? Then again, I thought you might like her better as a vampire. Seeing how since she turned, she started loving you instead of Stefan." Damon tries to tell me to shut up, but I talk over him and the pain roaring in my body. "Think about it for a second. If she becomes human again, what are the chances that she'll run right back into Stefan's arms? It's pretty high if you ask me."

"That's it." Damon shouts. My arm bends at an angle it was never supposed to, and the pain sends black spots in my vision. I feel another wave of pain with every heartbeat along with the boundary spell slipping from my control. It releases entirely as the last of my magic fades away with it under the strain. "The only reason I'm not killing you right now is because you'll be the leverage we need." He whispers in my ear as I double over in pain.

My stomach churns as I feel the now broken bones shifting under my skin. I can hear Jeremy shouting at Damon, and Kol's anger fills the room in an instant. Still, Damon ignores them as he grabs Jeremy and me. Everything spins around me. I lose track of my surroundings until everything goes dark and muffled. The only sounds I can hear are the closing of doors, an angry shout, and the squealing of tires.


	22. 22

I sit on the couch of the Gilbert's living room with a small smirk on my face. Elena stands in the kitchen with Jeremy and Damon in front of her. "What were you thinking, Damon?" Was her immediate reaction when Jeremy carried me in the door. Now, she's been shouting for the past five minutes and is showing no signs of stopping. Not that I mind, it's quite amusing.

"Honestly, this is probably the stupidest thing you've ever done, Damon." She glares at him before turning on her brother. "How could you let him do this, Jeremy? The Mikaelsons will be pissed when they find out we've taken her, much less that Damon broke her arm."

"And wrist." I chime in, which makes Damon scowl at me. No one else bothers to look at me though.

"Exactly. So tell me. What possessed either of you to think this could end well?" Elena questions. The front door opens up and Stefan and Bonnie come in with terrified expressions once they notice me.

"What is she doing here?" Stefan questions with a pointed glare at his brother.

Damon rolls his eyes and leans against the breakfast bar and feigns harm. "Why is it that everyone just assumes this is my doing."

"Because you're always causing trouble and making impulsive decisions." Bonnie offers with a terse grin. "Although my question is why did no one bother to do anything with her arm?"

Jeremy refuses to answer the question, but begins to search through the cupboards for something while the others speak. "Okay, fine. Maybe this is all my fault, but think of it this way for a second. Now that we have her, we can use her to either lure one of them here or tell us what we need to know."

"You really think they'll tell you which one of them is your sire to trade for me?" I scoff, which turns into a bubbling laugh. "And here I was thinking I had seen the pinnacle of your idiocy when you took me."

"The Mikaelsons betray each other all the time. What makes this any different?" Damon snaps, clearly losing his small amount of self control.

"Well," I lean back and hold onto my right arm to keep the pain down. "for one, this is their lives you're talking about. Second, they don't hate each other. Of course there's arguments and upsets, but at the end of everyday they're a family that will band together against anyone who crosses one of them. 'Always and Forever' is their millennial old vow. Trust me, they won't give that up for anything."

"Are you saying they would let you die instead?" Stefan questions. I know the argument he's going to start. I count the seconds in my head to see how long it will take for him to start. "How can you stand by them if you know they'll just give you up one day." Five seconds. "Is your life really worth protecting people who will just turn their back on you, who will leave you to die?"

I don't bother to look up at the group. Let them think they're making me question things. It will buy Kol and the others time to find me. I tune their voices out as Jeremy sits beside me. He gives me some medicine before gingerly taking my wrist. As the conversation topic turns away from me, and how to prepare for the possibility of an Original breaking down the door, Jeremy. whispers, "I'm sorry about everything."

My eyes turn to him. There's guilt in his expression. It's the kind that you can see has settled into a person's bone and has left nothing except hollowness in its wake. I know that look and feeling all too well. It first came when I found out about my parents separation, took hold that night with the vampire in the alleyway, and has only grown with every decision since. "I am too."

There's a long pause before either of us dares to speak up. Jeremy wraps my arm tightly in bandages. It's the best he can manage under the circumstances. I've refused any kind of vampire blood, which only leaves me with a hospital visit. How I would explain a spiral fracture in my arm and a broken wrist is beyond me, but it's the least of my worries at the moment.

Eventually Jeremy's voice returns in a soft whisper. "You really love him, don't you?"

"With everything in me." I reply without a moment's hesitation. "It's kind of hard to explain, but yes, I love him." I bite down on my lip as I finally catch Jeremy's gaze. "Was what Damon said true? Do you have a crush on me?" The blood rushes to his face, leaving streaks of bright red on his neck and up his cheeks. "For how long? And why didn't you say anything?"

"I never said anything, because I knew you loved him, but now I'm starting to realize just how much." He sighs as he finishes wrapping my arm. "Also, to answer your first question, since you showed up in Mystic Falls. I mean, I thought you were cute and funny that first night we met, but I wasn't sure how I felt. Then when you came here with your dad, I found myself trying to impress him. I wanted to make a good impression on him and a better one on you."

A part of me wants to reach out and take his hand, but I know better. There's no point in only breaking his heart further. He manages a strained, sad smile as he asks, "I never stood a chance did I?"

I shake my head. "I would love to say you did, but I don't want to lie to you. Like I said, it's hard to explain, but there's something that keeps me drawn to Kol. Even when we met and he kept pestering me, a part of me was already falling for him. It just took the rest of me a while to admit it." Jeremy just nods sadly as if processing it all, even though he probably already knew the answer. "Can I ask you a small favor?"

"Sure. I mean, even after all this, you're still my friend."

"I hope you'll still think that after this." I mumble. My mind clutters with anxious thoughts as I breathe deeply. There's no easy way to ask this, but a glance to the kitchen shows that only Elena is left. I turn back to Jeremy and gather the meager bits of courage left. "Don't kill him, please."

Jeremy opens his mouth to speak, but I hold up my hand. "Let me explain first. When he comes—and he will come—he's going to be angry. I guarantee you it will be worse than anything you or I have seen, which means I probably won't be able to get him to listen to me. So, when he comes, I'm begging you to not kill him. Kol is doing this for the right reasons. Even if his approach is a little indelicate."

"What are his reasons?" Elena questions from the other room, but I ignore her as I keep looking at Jeremy.

"It's not what you think. He doesn't care about the cure." I direct my answer to Jeremy, but my voice quakes with fear. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought of the horrors described to me. "It's Silas. If he wakes up, I don't even want to imagine the horrors that will come."

Jeremy doesn't say anything, but he gives me an imperceptible nod as he squeezes my good hand. Relief floods through me at the nonverbal promise. He quickly leaves me alone on the couch, and I reassuring myself as the minutes tick by. Jeremy is still your friend; he won't kill Kol.

The minutes seemed to drag by like hours. I kept biting my nails and tried to ignore the anxiety billowing in my chest. It's hard to decide which part of this situation is worse—the waiting, or my lack of magic.

Nothing about today has gone or felt right, except the brief 'drama-free' date. My mind keeps mulling over everything that has and could go wrong. Not to mention the feeling that it's all my fault. Maybe if I had listened to Kol and stayed at the mansion, things would have gone better.

That train of thought is abruptly halted by a string of unsavory shouts by an all too familiar voice. "Jeremy, I know you have her. I swear, if you don't let her go right now, I'll make your worst nightmares look like a child's tea party."

There isn't enough time for me to breathe before Elena is pulling me up from the couch. "Please, just let me go. Then this won't have to end badly." I tell her, but she ignores me as she places a hand over my mouth and uses my broken arm to pin me in front of her. Jeremy's eyes meet mine, full of apologies for his sister.

Without an answer, Kol begins to pound on the door at a steady pace. Although, once the door blows inward with a spray of splinters, I realize he was kicking it down. My arm screams in pain as I pull against Elena in a pointless attempt to reach Kol.

His normally soft, brown eyes are full of pure rage, but in the second they take in my appearance and struggle, that rage transforms into malice and murder. Elena involuntarily trembles at the sight.

Clearly, this is the infamous monster everyone sees as Kol Mikaelson, yet I only see a man fighting for something he cares about. If that makes someone a monster, I suppose we all are monsters at some point.

Kol leans with his hands braced against the doorframe. There's a stomach churning sense of deja vu that washes over me at the sight. His lip curls into a snarl. "I'm giving you one last chance. Let. Her. Go."

Elena's voice wavers as she replies with a brave facade; the words though, only make her sound foolish. "We'll giver he back when you agree to stop hunting Jeremy."

A glint appears in Kol's eyes that only enhances his malicious glare. It's a very rare occurrence. I have only seen it once before during an argument with Klaus. It's the same look he gets before he lets emotion take over logic. Unfortunately, it also means he's about to do something incredibly rash. "Wrong answer, darling." He snaps as he steps over the threshold.

"How did you—?"

"—Get in? I may have tricked Jeremy into it back when we were in Denver." Kol smiles at her. "Now, the real question is—which of you do I kill first? Eh, I think I'll start with the challenge."

I blink, and Kol has Jeremy pinned against the cabinets with one hand on his throat and the other pushing a stake away from his chest. Elena shouts Jeremy's name and move to join the fight.

Unfortunately for her, she failed to let go of me until it was too late. Magic pours from her into me, restoring the calm feeling to my veins. It's like a comfort blanket draped over my shoulders, but the truth is it's more like a fresh hit to an addict. "Sorry, it's nothing personal." I tell her as I strain my right arm to pick up a vase and hit her with it.

Her body crumples on the floor, and this time, I don't hesitate. "Jeremy, sto—!" The word cuts off half formed and melds into a cry of pain. My left leg buckles under me with white hot agony. There's a shift in my arm when it hits the floor, which brings tears to my eyes.

I lay on the floor, unable to regain my footing.

Helpless to do anything as Kol and Jeremy turn to the source of the noise.

Utterly useless as Elena speeds over to the pair and forces Jeremy's hand to stab the still-stunned Kol in the chest—right through his heart with the white oak state.

The world warps and blurs. I feel as though everything is in slow motion as I watch Kol tumble to the ground in unbearable agony. My mind doesn't register any of the pain in my arm or leg, ignores the screams tearing my throat apart, or another voice's shouts as I crawl across the floor to him.

I manage to sit halfway up next to him. Both hands on the stake as I try to pull it out of his chest. A string of unintelligible words flow from my lips when I realize its stuck beneath his sternum and removing it would only risk leaving splinters.

So I do the only other thing my clouded brain can think of. I start to drain the stake of its power. Maybe if I can take enough magic from it, there will be nothing special about it. He will survive just like if he was stabbed with a normal piece of wood.

Except, this time, the magic fights back. My fingers feel like they were dipped into a tub of hot needles, but I refuse to let go. Even as Kol's hands rest a top my own. "It's gonna be okay. You'll be okay."

"Lee—you're going to kill yourself." His voice comes out in a wheezy whisper, but I continue to reassure him. "Please, don't. I lo—"

That's the last thing I hear before a tiny flame ignite at the base of the stake, right where it meets his chest. Arms wrap around my waist and drag me away as the fire grows and spreads across every inch of him.

It's the same second the pain hits me full force.

There's no air in my lungs, yet I still manage to let out a scream. It's the kind that would make a banshee run in fear. It's a rope around my neck that was twisted together by Agony and Grief, and held in the hands of Death himself. Every piece of glass in the house shatters.

I kick out at the person holding me up. Pleas mingle with the wails. They ignore me as I double over in the pain, watching the body of the one person who I truly loved burn in front of me and feel as if someone set fire to me too.

Ashes and a charred form are all that's left of him. "Please, tell me he's not gone." I cry into someone's chest. "Just tell me this isn't happening."

Teardrops fall onto my scalp. Klaus's hand rubs circles beneath my shoulder blades as he whispers. "I wish I could."

Four words. That's all it takes for me to shatter completely, and my whole world with it.

Yet, something rumbles in my mind, like a beast long slumbering that's finally waking up. I turn my tear filled gaze to Elena. It takes her a moment to look my way. When our eyes meet, a shudder passes through her. "You." Is the only word that passes from my lips before she's pinned against a wall, her feet dangling off the ground.

"Lee—" Klaus warns from next to me, but his voice sounds distant in my head.

"You killed him." Tears continue to streak down my face. "This is all your fault. None of this would have happened if it weren't for you, Elena Gilbert. You cause nothing but trouble and misery. It follows you like a shadow, taking over everything you touch. I should kill you right now and spare the rest of the world from your destruction."

Her feet hit the floor with a thunk, and she gasps desperately for air. "But that would make me no better than you. Plus, I think I'll enjoy watching your misery as you slowly kill everyone you love."

There's a defining silence in the room as everyone stares at me in complete shock. I ignore their astonished looks as I move myself back over to Kol. The smell of charred skin turns my stomach, enhances my pain, and brings more tears to the surface. I slip off his daylight ring, with a choked sob and lean against the breakfast bar and try to press every detail of him into the pages of my mind. "I love you, Kol Mikaelson. Always and forever."


	23. 23

I'm a black hole.

It's the only accurate representation I can come up with. I feel as though I'm suspended in space. A giant vacuum that swallows whole words and every ounce of light that comes too close. It's fitting right now. No one has been able to come near me since I took Kol's ring and stopped talking. Even Klaus only attempted it to carry me over to the couch.

Now he's continuously moving with the force and rage of a hurricane. His steps sends tremors through the floor as he paces, shouts, and slams his palm against the barrier that Bonnie put up the second she arrived. Everyone seems terrified of what either of us will do.

I can feel their eyes watching me; their breaths holding each time I seem to move. It brings me a twisted sense of joy. Something about knowing that I can make them tremble in fear is empowering. It makes sense to me now why Klaus and Kol adopted their personas.

There's also an air of apology that fills the room. My words seemed to have struck a cord in Elena, because it didn't take long for her to run out of the house. She came back after Caroline and the others arrived.

Apparently, everyone wanted to see if their grand plan had worked after all, if Jeremy's tattoo will complete and they'll live long enough to decipher it. This is one time that knowing what the outcome will be isn't ideal. Still, since they don't know the truth is, I decide to add a little extra torture to the waiting—just for my own sake.

One by one, Stefan, Damon, Caroline, and Elena double over in pain. A flicker of sheer panic flutters through the room. "Oh my god. We were wrong?" Elena cries out right before she starts to cough. The group attempts to comfort each other, but only succeed in writhing from the pain.

A dark part of me doesn't need to watch to find a twisted enjoyment from this. It's the same part of me that refuses to be taken to a hospital yet or given any blood. Because right now, I need the pain. I need something to distract me from the hollow spot in my chest, which makes the world seem too viciously real. The fabric of the couch beneath my fingers too rough. My breathing sounding like a tornado in my ears. Worst of all, the sight of the charred floor that peaks out from the tarp.

Klaus somehow manages to lay a hand on my shoulder, which pulls me back from myself. He doesn't need to speak for me to get his message. Right now, he's the only person who can reach me, but that's because he's already drowning in the same grief I am.

My eyes remain locked on the same spot on the floor as I release them. "Wait, I'm fine!" Caroline cheers. "But if we're all fine, then what—?" Her voice drags off, and shock takes away her voice.

I dare to glance up. All eyes in the room are locked on me. Some of them show sorrow, apologies, and shock mingled with curiosity—which come from the majority of the group. Damon and Elena, on the other hand, stare me down in anger, disgust, and—if I'm not mistaken—a twinge of fear. Good, let them know a little bit of the enemy they've made.

"You little—" Damon prepares an insult, to which I turn my head with a slightly raised eyebrow in amusement, but he barely makes it two steps before Stefan stands in his way.

"Damon, take a breath. Now's not the time."

"Why because she lost her boyfriend?" Damon snaps at his brother. "News flash, Stefan, he tried to kill us all multiple times. This time he—" His words snap off as he clutches his head in agony. The tiny blood vessels in his brain stretch and pop, heal, and repeat. I receive another glare from him, which I return with the empty, careless gaze I know I've mastered in the past hour. "Fine. I'm sorry." I give him one extra push for good measure before leaving him be.

The rest of the night becomes a series of distant mumbles. People talking to one another, occasionally to me, but I ignore them all. Even as I'm taken to the hospital, as nurses poke and prod, x-ray and question me, I don't flinch or speak.

Luckily, Klaus stayed by my side the whole time and compelled everyone to leave me alone and not ask questions. Rebekah and Elijah show up shortly after the doctors finish their testing; I want to cry in thankfulness when they don't try to get me to speak. Instead, Rebekah wraps me up in a tight hug and refuses to let go despite the pain it causes her.

I consciously force myself to shut off the power vacuum that keeps trying to use magic to fill the emptiness. The majority of me wishes I was crying. I want to sob, wail, kick, and scream until there's nothing left in me, until the whole world understands my grief.

Anything would be better than this. This hollow feeling swallowing me whole. It's taken my voice, tears, and every piece of myself with it, yet it also wraps me up so tightly that the truth can't seep through.

I lean back into the bed with wide, tired eyes. Still, as the needles left by the magic I've siphoned continue to stab every inch of my skin, sleep or any form of rest slips through my fingers like sand. "Try to get some sleep, Lee. It's been a long day." Rebekah tries to convince me as she brushes her fingers through my hair. It's comforting, but not nearly enough to allow me the rest I need.

Although, what does the trick is the pain medication the nurses put into my IV. 'For the pain,' they told me. Not that they could understand the extent of it or medication can solve it. "Lee," Rebekah's voice softly overcomes the beeping of the heart monitor as if she fears I'll shatter at the slightest noise. "you're father wants to see you. Is it okay if we let him in?"

I barely manage to nod my head. The thought of dealing with anyone right now feels like so much, but if there's one person's company I could use right now, my dad would be it. He doesn't make a single noise as he struggles to walk to the bed. Instead of trying to use words to soothe, he simply nods understandingly with tears brimming in his blue eyes. Rebekah pulls up a seat next to the bed for him, which he eagerly takes along with my hand.

We stare at each other for a moment. A silent conversation and mutual understanding passes between us. My heart shudders in my chest. My dad stands up with a series of covered winces and wraps his arms around my trembling figure. "I know, bean." His tears fall against my scalp, and he plants a kiss to my forehead. "Trust me, I know."

A rattle makes its way through my body. I bite back another fresh set of tears and sobs, and instead, I try to find some comfort in my dad's arms and the knowledge I'm not alone. Yet, no matter how hard I search for it; it's nowhere to be found.

We spent the next day and well into the night before the Mikaelsons could agree that it would be better to take me back to the mansion. Klaus and Rebekah had been advocating it since they had finished putting the cast on, but Elijah argued against it for fear I wasn't ready to face it. To be honest, I don't think anyone could ever be ready for this.

I stumble up the stairs on the crutches, refusing anyone's help no matter how many times I stumble. "I'm fine. I can do this." I constantly remind them. There's a harsh edge to my voice no matter what I say. "I have to do this myself."

"No, you don't." Klaus whispers as he wraps an arm around my waist to stabilize me as I walk. "You don't have to do any of this alone."

I know I'm being selfish by pretending this pain is all mine. Kol was their brother after all. Maybe I'm wrong to think that they aren't being pulled into the same vacuum his absence has left. He may not have been a part of their precious 'Always and forever' pact, but he was a Mikaelson, which means more than most people understand.

My thoughts have me so tangled up, I barely notice that Klaus had grown tired of my slow pace and carried me up the stairs until he gently sets me on my bed. I flinch as I look around the room. It feels strange and wrong to be back in the house after everything that's happened.

It's too normal. I'd much rather have to be fighting a horde of vampires, plotting our next move, or running from danger. Anything that doesn't include living life with the smallest sense of normality.

Klaus talks to me, even though he knows I've stopped listening a while ago, as he sets my meds on the bedside table and moves the covers over me. They're cold. It sends a shiver up my spine, and I can't fight back the tears right then.

Cold covers. I've become so fragile that cold covers make me cry.

Rebekah comes running at the sound of my mangled sobs, but Klaus beats her to comforting me. He sits next to me and lets me soak his shirt with my tears. "Let it out." He whispers and rubs tiny circles into my shaking shoulders. "Scream, fight, do what you need to, but you have to get it out."

So I do. I scream, fight against his arms, curse the world and every beautiful thing in it, and wail until I'm sure all of humanity knows that this isn't fair. Kol Mikaelson should be here. He should be the one holding me, wiping my tears, and telling me there's nothing to be ashamed of like he did a hundred times before.

By the time I've finished, Klaus and Rebekah are still there. They look at each other with a knowing look that I can't interpret. Sadness and heartache are reflected in both of their eyes. "It will be okay, Lee." Rebekah reassures me as she forces me to lean back. "You have our word, we will make things right."

I nod with drooping eyelids. Of course, in my mind, there's only a few ways things could be made right. Neither of which are likely to happen, but I trust them anyway. If all else fails, I'll make things right myself. I'll get my revenge and Kol back.


	24. 24

"So, I suppose this isn't the best time to say 'Happy Birthday.'" Jade's voice pulled me out of my staring contest with the wall. None of the Mikaelson's had tried to approach me since my panic attack this morning, and only came in every few minutes to make sure I was still breathing. I suppose they were merely biding their time until now. Jade's hair has faded since I last saw her, and her natural blonde is starting to peek out at the roots.

"Not unless you have something to help me forget that fact." I mumble and return to glaring a hole in the wall.

"I figured as much." Her voice still holds her trademarks strength despite the low volume. The bed dips beside me, and a warm blanket and arms wrap around my shoulder. "You really must be hurting if you're willing to have alcohol."

"Hurting doesn't begin to explain it."

"I know." She whispers and rests her head on my slumped shoulder, and she does. Of everyone I know, she's probably the only one with a sliver of understanding for what I'm feeling. "That's why I'm here. I figured it was my turn to return the favor you did me when—everything happened to Brian."

Brian—the name rolls of her tongue like lead. He was my other best friend, and Jade's only serious boyfriend. Relationships typically have trouble working out for both of us. So when Brian asked her to the sophomore dance, we all prepared for the disaster to hit, but it didn't. The two of them were complimenting puzzle pieces. Everyone was waiting for graduation so he would most likely propose.

All it took was one stupid party to end those assumptions.

We went to the party as our typical trio. Jade danced with Brian, who didn't dare touch a single drink. He was the only person I've met to hate alcohol more than me. Of course, neither of us drank in case the other was too tired to drive home. The lectures from our parents on the dangers of drunk driving always stuck with us.

Yet, despite never having touched any, alcohol killed him anyway. It was a popular football player's stupid idea to not wait for his sober friend, and Brian was gone.

"Does it last forever? This sadness?" I question as I finally feel fresh tears track down my face. "Because I don't want to feel like this any longer."

"It takes time, before it softens at the edges." Jade's voice trembles as she squeezes me tightly. "But, yeah, I think it does."

"How do you do it—make it through the day and be so happy?"

"Small steps." She informs me with her edge back in her voice as she moves to her feet. I feel her trying not to shudder when she takes my cold hand. "Come on. Stand up, because we're getting you cleaned up."

"I don't want to." I mumble as I slowly retreat back into myself. Another excuse comes out of my mouth as I fall back into the bed.

Jade's feature twist in a debate between understanding and frustration. Her shoes squeak against the hardwood as she uses her meager bodyweight in an attempt to pull me up. "Ophelia Mitchell, I'm not gonna let you wither away like this. You once told me, if you're gonna insist on wallowing in your own sorrow and self pity, the least you can do is keep filth from joining the list." She argues, but it does nothing to motivate me to action.

There's too much going on inside my head for me to pay any attention to what's outside it. It's a crude, dangerous, and likely ridiculous plan, but I have nothing else to hold on to at the moment. I fear if I let go of this sliver of hope, I'll fade away to a place no one can bring me back from.

So I cling to this foolish notion like a rock in the ocean. It's the only chance I have to see him again without dying myself. That's obviously not an option, no matter how desperate I may be. I could never hurt my friends and family like that.

No, this may not be as simple, but it's crazy enough that it might just work.

All it will take is—my thought is interrupted by a pair of arms gently lifting me from the mattress. My reflexes kick in, and I lash out with my body and magic. Still, they hold on tightly and speak to me in calming tones until I come to my senses.

I look up to find Elijah analyzing me in his usual guarded way. A frown creases his brow. It sends my heart stuttering in fear that he somehow realizes what I'm planning to do, but it quickly fades from his face.

Elijah carries me into the bathroom attached to my room, where Jade stands ready and waiting. He follows her directions and sets me down on the edge of the large tub. "Thank you, Elijah. I've got It from here.

"Of course, and if you do need further assistance, Rebekah will be best equipped." He half-heartedly jokes as he leaves.

The bathroom door clicks shut, and silence fills the room only occasionally broken by the tapping of Jade's foot. She watches me with a raised eyebrow and her tan arms crossed over her torso. "Are you going to cooperate now? Or are we doing this the hard way?"

I look at myself in the mirror. The reflection I see makes me cringe. Spots of makeup have survived the fiasco of the past few days, and my eyes are rimmed with smudged eyeliner and mascara. My hair is a greasy, tangled mess, and I'm wearing the same outfit Rebekah brought to the hospital.

Jade already knew the answer, but I conform it as I peel off the grimy clothes. She gives me a towel to cover myself in as she helps me wash my hair, face, and back since my casted arm makes it difficult. The rest I manage on my own.

She passes me a fresh towel through the curtain when I'm done. "Here, grab my shoulders." I do as instructed and use my right leg to stand up. Jade's eyes catch sight of the little white scars on my thigh peeking out from the towel's edge. She clears her throat as she turns her back to let me dress. "Did he see them?"

My eyes and fingers trace over the white slashes. Evidence from a dark time when words and pressure ruled me. They're tally marks for the number of times I crumbled beneath the guild of one stupid night.

"Yeah, he did." I whisper through tears as I remember the moment.

"How did he react?" Her voice is once again timid. She knows their history and reason, and although she never vocalizes it, I know she sometimes blames herself for their existence.

I was sixteen when I made the three slashes in my skin. One for each excuse I made that killed Brian. He wasn't supposed to be driving, but I was 'too tired,' 'gonna watch Jade,' and 'help him navigate.' So when the news of his death reached me, the guilt became too much.

Everyone that sees the scars and hears their story either runs or never looks at me the same. There's always a bit of unease, pity, and disgust in their eyes. Still, like with many other things, Kol was the exception.

A small smile dances across my lips despite the tears. "He kissed each one and me, told me I had nothing to be ashamed of, that battle scars show what we've been through and how we became stronger for it." The ridges of the scars give way to smooth skin beneath my fingers as I finish. "It's how I knew–he was my one."

Jade faces me again. Tears brim in her vibrant green eyes. I know she understands now. My little secret cleared up the things she didn't understand before. There's barely a moment to blink before she's at my side and hugging me tightly.

Teardrops fall on my shoulder as we hold onto each other sobbing the whole time. For the first time, I let the rope straining to hold me together release for a moment. I allow myself a moment to fall apart completely since those first moments.

Jade doesn't speak; she just holds me tightly as I sob and blubber nonsense. All the built up pain, emotions, and sorrows slowly release with each tear and strained breath.

I go on until there's nothing left in me except the hollow exhaustion. Barely enough energy remains for me to get dressed and follow Jade's supporting lead to my bed.

The bed seems to greet me as a friend, and I curl up as small as possible with one of Kol's pillows against my chest. His smell still lingers there. The combination of his cologne and a touch of mint make it seem like he never left, or he'll walk through the door any minute and tease me for stealing his pillow. "Go ahead and rest for a little bit." Jade whispers as she brushes her fingers through my hair. "We can talk more later."

"Wait, I need to ask you something." The plan that's been buzzing through my head resurfaces. "I have a plan, but I don't think I can do it on my own."

I can see the interest in her gaze as she nods. "Okay, what is it?"

"I want to contact Kol." I tell her, and the rest o the plan pours out of my mouth before she can get a chance to object. "I know it's a little bit crazy, but it's the only chance I have to finding out if there's a way to bring him back or to at least say goodbye."

"I don't know, Ace. Are you sure it's a risk you want to take?" Jade questions as she analyzes every inch of my face for telltale signs. There aren't any, because I've already decided to do it with or without help. She sighs when she realizes this. "Fine, but promise me you'll think about it for a couple days before doing anything."

"I promise." I reply without a moment's hesitation.

"Good. Now get some rest." She tells me as she pulls the covers back over my shoulders like a child. "I'm gonna go make you some food, but I'll wake you up when it's ready."

I nod and close my eyes, more relaxed knowing that my best friend is by my side, understands, and is willing to help. It's the only solace I have in the middle of my life's unending storm. At least, despite all the craziness, supernatural drama, and unknowns, I have a small group of people who are willing to stare down the darkness with me.

"She's gonna need time more than anything else." Jade's voice drifts into the room. There's a pause as she sighs, clearly thinking. "They really loved each other. Didn't they?"

"They truly did. Kol even admitted to me that he thought he would never meet someone that could make him that happy. He said he had something special planned for her birthday, too." Rebekah replies, and I can hear her lingering just outside the door. "It breaks my heart to see her like this. He may have been a pain at times, but he was my brother. I miss him more than I can explain, and I can only imagine what she's feeling. She lost her soulmate."

"You really think they were? I mean, Lee said she thought he was her one, but do you think they were soulmates?"

"I don't have a doubt in my mind about it. All it took was one look at them to see it. They looked at each other with such understanding and love, like they had the whole world in front of them. I was jealous; Kol was the first of us to find it."

"I thought the same thing from when they met. She was annoyed by him at first, but there was something about them together that seemed to work from the beginning." Jade smiles. "I should probably start making her some food. Like you said, she hasn't eaten since it happened."

"Do you really think you can get her to?" Rebekah questions, and I barely catch Jade's reply as they leave.

"It's worth at least trying."

Jade stuck around, and everyday, she made me get out of bed, clean up, and at least go sit in the garden for a few hours. It was the most she or anyone was willing to push me to do. They were all scared that if they nudged a little too hard, I'd fall back into the pieces that they were trying so hard to put together. So, when I started feeling a little bit braver, I decided to try it on my own.

The ivory keys are soft and smooth beneath my touch. It's one familiarity that doesn't make me feel like breaking down. Kol would help me sneak in here in the days before his family knew anything. He did it for the sole reason of teaching me to play, or so he claimed, but I always thought it was so he could show off his secret talent.

I tentatively play a few notes and let them ring into the silence. Something about it gives me more confidence, and before I know it, I'm playing our song. It's the one that played at the ball when we first said, 'I love you,' and Kol decided it would be the first song I would learn. A hum vibrates against my lips, and the words soon follow to twist and blend with the instrument.

It may sound strange, but in that moment, I swear I could feel Kol next to me on the bench.

"*insert Lord Huron's night we met lyrics*" I whisper sing the last part to the ghostly image my mind projects of him. "It always did sound better when you were playing it."

The only reply I receive is a constant ear-ringing silence. It tries to creep in and burrow in my head, but I reject it and continue to play the song over and over again. The melody helps me to keep the darkness at bay and the good memories in the forefront of my thoughts.

"I'll help you." Rebekah's voice cuts through the song, and I turn around in shock and fear.

"Help me with what?" I question timidly. A part of me fears she knows what I've been planning, that maybe Jade told her every detail.

"I'm going to help you bring him back. You have my word." She tells me as she takes the seat next to me, where just minutes ago I had pictured a ghost of Kol. "Jade told me about your idea, and although it's a bit out there, I trust you. Plus, I think it's worth at least trying."

"So, you're really willing to help me try it?" I question in complete awe of her reaction.

"Yes, I've started to realize something. I knew Kol for a thousand years, but in all that time, I didn't discover half the person you did in four months of loving him. I want the chance to get to know my brother and make up for my many mistakes." A single tear traces down her face. "I just have one condition. You have to have my blood in your system in case things go wrong."

The sentence makes me question myself. Am I really taking that much of a risk? I don't believe that I am, so I nod in agreement. "Would you also be interested in a little punishment and revenge? Because I think it's about time Damon and Elena learned a little lesson."

Rebekah shrugs, but there's that devious Mikaelson glint in her eyes. "Why not?"


	25. 25

The door to the Bennett's house seemed like one of the most daunting things I had faced. Of course, I don't really need her and would walk away now, but I know that my chances of success are greatly improved with her help.

I reach out and knock on the door with a trembling hand. Rebekah already gave me her blood as a precaution, and the thought of vampire blood in my veins makes me all the more anxious. My heart thumps against my ribcage as footsteps approach the door.

It opens to reveal a smiling Mr. Bennett, who greets me with no idea of who I am or what I'm capable of. It makes a bit of me ache for the days when I didn't expect danger at the sight of every stranger. "Can I help you?" He questions with a cheerful grin.

"I hope so. I was wondering if Bonnie was here?" I question as I twist my fingers together. She's home, that much I'm sure of. Rebekah and I sat in the SUV for nearly two hours trying to build up my nerve and courage, which unravelled when we saw her arrive home. It's a terrifying task to as someone who sees you as an enemy for help.

"She is. Why don't you come in while I go get her?" He motions for me to enter, but I shake my head and decline as politely as possible. I'm sure my mom would scold me if she were here. It's rude to turn down such an invitation, but I don't want to scare Bonnie or let her think I'm here to cause trouble." Okay. Just give me a minute then." Mr. Bennett gently shuts the door, yet I can still hear his retreating footsteps and voice calling his daughter.

It feels like an eternity before the door opens back up. Bonnie's eyes widen in shock when she sees me, and I place my hand to keep the door from slamming. "Please, I'm not here to hurt you or cause trouble. Just hear me out."

The racing of my heartbeat is a startling contrast to the slow, evenness of my breaths. I have to focus on them as I release my hand and await Bonnie's decision. "If you want me to go, I will, but I had to at least try."

Her voice comes back softer than I expected, which makes me nearly jump in surprise. "Try what?"

"Ask for you help. I want to—need to— contact Kol. If nothing else than at least to say goodbye."

The door creaks on its hinges. Bonnie stands against it with an arm extended in invitation. "Come on in. We can talk about it." I make a quick glance over my shoulder to find the SUV and Bex out of sight, then without hesitation, I follow Bonnie inside. "Can I get you anything? Water? Tea?"

I shake my head; I don't want to inconvenience her any further than I am by simply being here. "No thank you. I'd rather just get down to it if that's okay."

"Of course, but I really should tell you, I don't know how much help I can be."

"Is it because you don't know how? Or are you scared of what your friends will think?" Her eyes snap to mine at the comment, which tells me I struck a nerve. "Don't worry, I won't force you to help me. I'm going to do this no matter what, but it would be nice to have some backup."

We stare at each other for a few minutes. I can see her trying to pick away at my story, looking for a trace of a lie. When she can't find any, her eyes seem to soften. It seems as though she start to take notice of my appearance for the first time.

I know what she's seeing. Because I spent a half hour staring in the mirror, looking for a trace of familiarity–of myself. Of course, it was the same face I've always known, but there's a subtle differences.

The bags under my eyes have become darker than makeup can cover. Tear tracks seem to forever mar my skin. Worst of all, are my eyes. No smile seems to reach them, and they're too red and puffy to hold any emotion for long before they become vacant. It's almost as if the hollowness in my chest is reflected in them.

"You want to bring him back." She doesn't phrase it as a question, but as a declaration of the missing piece in my story. "That's why you want to talk to him. You want to see if he knows a way back."

I can only stare at my twisting fingers as I reply. "Partially, but if he didn't know, I would gladly settle for a chance at a goodbye." My jaw shifts for a moment as I try to fight back my emotions. "It wasn't supposed to go like this, you know. We were supposed to take care of the cure business and leave–travel the world together. It was supposed to be us seeing the world by each other's side–happy and free. So yes, I want to bring him back, and if I do, I highly doubt we'd stay here for long."

I'm met with only silence as I wipe my eyes. "I'm sorry. This was stupid; I shouldn't have bothered you with this." I stand up and make my way to the door.

Three words stop me in my tracks. "I'll help you." I turn back expecting Bonnie to be on the couch, silently waiting for me to leave. Instead, she's on her feet watching me. "It's not stupid. I'm pretty sure I'd be the same way if I lost Jeremy." It's hard to hide my shock, no one ever told me they were together, and Jeremy's crush made me assume he was single. Bonnie doesn't notice as she continues. "So I'll help you contact him on one condition–if you bring him back, you have to make sure he doesn't hurt Jeremy or come back to Mystic Falls."

As if I can control another person's actions. Still, knowing Kol, he would likely be more than happy to escape Mystic Falls and the Mikaelson drama, but the hard part would be keeping him from revenge. I'm sure it wouldn't be an entirely impossible task though. "Okay. Let's get started."

It took us two hours to make all the necessary preparations. Most of it consisted of Bonnie and Rebekah arguing on where to do it, while I flipped through Sheila and Esther's grimoires to create a patchwork spell. Eventually, they agreed to do it at the Salvatore mansion with Jeremy and Rebekah watching.

Bonnie lights the wick of the last candle as I lay on the floor of the living room. "So, I'll use this spell to stop Lee's heart–"

Rebekah cuts off her explanation prematurely. "–only for five minutes. A second more and–well, even your little hunter won't be able to stop me." I glare at Bex before reassuring Bonnie to continue.

"Exactly. That means you have five minutes to find and talk to Kol. After that, I'll restart your heart, which as long as you remained tethered to this side, will pull you back to your body."

"Sounds like a plan to me." I adjust my shoulders to get comfortable and give everyone a reassuring smile. My hand reaches out for Rebekah, who I asked to be my tether to this world. It seemed only fitting that the sister of my best friend and boyfriend, who has become like a sister to me too, should be my link. "Let's do this."

Rebekah kneels down beside me and takes my now un-casted hand in hers. She dragged me to the doctor after giving me her blood, and once they confirmed the bones had indeed miraculously healed, she demanded they take the casts off. Her smile is warm despite the tears starting to build in her eyes. "Tell my brother he better be saving his mischief for when he gets back, and–tell him how much we all miss him, even Nik."

"I will. Just make sure to keep a hold of me." I promise her and gently squeeze her hand in reassurance. She keeps a hold of my hand as Bonnie begins the spell, and I soon find myself grateful to know she's there as my heart stutters in my chest before coming to a screeching halt.

The first thing I notice when I come to my senses it the change in my surroundings. The living room of the Salvatore's home is replaced by what looks like the inside of a wooden crate. Stuffing and straw pass through my legs as if I don't exist, which I suppose I don't.

Next, I notice the girl sobbing and cowering in the corner. She whispers to no one and occasionally cries out in pain. She looks up as if to see another ghost in front of her, and a tremble passes through me at her appearance. I understand now why everyone can mistake Katherine for Elena. There's virtually no difference between the girl in front of me and Elena, except for her curly hair and ancient greek style dress.

"You have to touch her to pass through." Another ghost says from beside me. Something about her seems vaguely familiar, but unfortunately, I have no time to waste or ask questions.

It seems strange to me. In all the research I've done, I never came across any mention of this doppleganger—or any person—being access to the other side. It causes curiosity to get a better hold on me, and I turn back to the other ghost to ask questions, only to find her gone.

I guess that decides for me. The doppleganger trembles more and more the closer I get. "I'm sorry about this." I whisper as I place a hand on her shoulder, and I am once again in the Salvatore's living room.

Well, a darker, colder version of it.

I can see hazy images of Rebekah, Bonnie, and Jeremy all staring at my lifeless form. I have to turn my back to keep the image from implanting itself in my head and focus on what I came here for.

Now, it's time for the dangerous part of my plan to start. I didn't tell anyone the truth about this part. No one would have let me go through with this if I had, but I did my research. The other side, along with the brotherhood of five, was created by Qetsiah as a punishment for Silas's betrayal. It was specifically designed to keep people from finding one another after death.

Still, I highly doubt she prepared for someone like me.

My biggest fear stares me in the face as I plant my feet and extend my hands with fingers splayed. I have no way of knowing if I can even siphon magic from this side, or if it would somehow siphon magic through my real body, which puts me at risk of being untethered and trapped. There's a charge in the air that wraps and coils around my fingers as I pull bits of it into myself. It sends rushes of pain up my arms and through my heart, but I have to smile at the small success.

The feeling makes me lightheaded, but I keep myself steady as I continue my work.

There's massive amounts of magic that piece together this mirror world, but I don't need to take it all away for my plan to work. All I should have to do would be take the edges off the area around me. It should suffice for me to be able to see Kol if he's close, which knowing him he would. That's part of the reason I agreed to let Jeremy be Bonnie's backup, despite the sight of him making the onslaught of memories and images infinitely worse, I know Kol would be here if his killer and girlfriend were in the same room.

"Are you real?" A timid, unfamiliar voice questions from behind me.

I barely turn my head to catch a glimpse of him as I try to maintain my focus. "I think so. Are you?"

"Probably." He tells me as he circles me and stops a few feet away. "What are you doing?"

The continued conversation chips another chunk of my focus away. "Trying to take enough magic away to find someone." I tell him as I drop my hands to allow myself a split second break. "You haven't by any chance seen anyone else around here?"

The boy shakes his head, and something about the way he carries himself sends off a bell in my head. It's like I've met him before but can't place where. "Not really. You're the first real person I've seen in a long time."

I nod, half-way disappointed, but too wrapped up in trying to figure out why he looks familiar to be too heartbroken. So many of his features remind of someone else. From the shape of his nose, to the curve of his mouth, but I catch the telltale glint in his eyes, which gives him away. "You're a Mikaelson, aren't you? You're Henrik." I tell him with a grin as I he nods.

"So my brother did tell you about me."

"Kol told me everything about you. He misses you very much; all your siblings do. To be honest, I think Nik still blames himself for what happened." I tell him, and he nods somberly as if I confirmed his worst theory.

"My question is, how are you here?" Then it dawns on me. "You're a warlock by birth, but does that mean you tapped into your abilities?"

Henrik doesn't meet my eye as he meekly nods. I can barely imagine what he must have gone through all these years. Helpless to do anything but watch as your family grieved, transformed, and rampaged across all time. Worst of all, to see them think you were lost eternally. His resolve and curiosity seem to slowly return. "So what are you doing here? Clearly, you're up to something."

"I'm trying to find Kol." I pause, unsure if he would have heard. "I wanted to see if he had ever heard of a way back. If there was ever a spell that could bring someone back from the dead."

I know Henrik was young when he died, but I can see the millennia he's half-lived reflected in his eyes as he asks, "What can I do to help?" We both smile at each other, united by the mutual bond with Kol and the others making us feel like family ourselves.

"Keep an eye out for him. It's gonna take a lot of focus for me to siphon a lot more magic, so I'll need your help to call for him and tell me what you're seeing happen." I sit down and place my hands on the cold hardwood floor. It provides me with easier access to the magic while still helping me remain upright.

"Kol? Kol?" Henrik calls as he runs around the living room, shouting out of windows to increase the distance he can be heard. I nearly give up hope when my heart feels about to explode, but a hand clamps on my shoulder and he cheers from beside me. "Keep going! I think I see him."

The words spur me on with renewed strength. I can do this. I'll do it and see Kol again. I remind myself until I hear a faint whisper from the voice that brought me endless comfort. "Lee?"

I look up with tear filled eyes, and I can barely make out the hazy form of him that slowly appears. My throat closes up from the emotions that bubble in my chest. He's there. Really and truly there. I could reach out and touch him if it didn't mean losing the chance of actually seeing him. So I pull with everything in me until I feel the warmth I've craved every moment and day.

One word tumbles from my lips. His name. The same name that has haunted my nightmares but can also chase them away in an instant. "Kol."

"There's no time." Henrik interrupts, and I look over my shoulder in panic to find Bonnie chanting over my lifeless form.

"No. No. No." I cry as I try to reach Kol. "I can't leave you here. Not like this." I feel myself start to slip away. His fingers passing through mine like mist, but we manage to meet eyes for a split second and share an unspoken promise. We will see each other again. No matter what it will take.

Henrik's voice calls out to me just before I fade away completely. "Tell Nik it wasn't his fault. I forgive him, and he shouldn't blame himself. Make sure he knows that, Lee."

I wake up with a gasp on the floor of the Salvatore's house to Bonnie, Rebekah, and Jeremy leaning over me. My eyes instantly tear up when I look over to where I was a split second ago to find it empty. No sign of Kol or Henrik. There's just empty space.

"Did it work?" Rebekah asks me, which pulls me back to my senses.

I ignore her questions as I turn to Bonnie. "Do it again. I need to go back." I shout in her face. "I was so close. He was right there, and you pulled me away. You have to let me go back."

"Lee, I can't. That spell was already too dangerous to do once, much less multiple times." Bonnie tells me, and Rebekah has the sense to grab me before I do anything stupid.

"Calm down." She tells me. I struggle to move my arms, but she keeps them pinned at my sides. "I'm not letting you go until you calm down. Start by taking deep breaths and explaining what happened."

I force the air in and out of my lungs. The anger floods out of me, leaving me once again empty and deflated. My voice comes out in a whisper. "I need to talk to Klaus."


	26. 26

When we finally made it back the Mikaelson's mansion, I had resumed my typical silence. Rebekah kept glancing at me as if to be sure I hadn't made a run for it or gone completely mad, which I'm pretty sure she already assumed. What else is she supposed to think of me now? I didn't just see Kol, but the brother that everyone has assumed to be long lost for the past millennia. There's no way I could expect her to believe me or not think me insane.

"Are you sure you saw him?" She questions as we pull into the driveway. "Because if you insist on telling Nik about this, you have to be absolutely sure. He likely won't take it well."

I have to bite back the sigh of frustration and eye roll. "Yes. I'm positive, and I'll find a way to prove it by the time Klaus comes back." I don't wait for her to reply before I climb out of the car and stomp into the house.

The moment I enter the house, Jade is by my side. "Did it work?" She questions, but instead of answering, I grab her hand and drag her upstairs. The door to my room shuts with a click, and I immediately move to start burning sage. Jade watches me silently until I finish. "Okay, this has to be good. Spill. What happened tonight?"

Henrik sits on the bed next to Jade, and I give him a half smile in acknowledgement. He reappeared shortly after I calmed down and explained everything to Rebekah. Although, I didn't have the nerve to tell her he was there with the look she was giving me. "You should tell her. She'll understand."

I give him a skeptical look, but he only nods in encouragement before disappearing. "You're probably gonna think I'm crazy; I think I'm a little bit crazy right now. Still, you're my best friend, so here it goes..."

Jade sits there patiently as I go through every detail of tonight. I start from the moment my heart stopped, to the doppleganger I saw—a detail I kept from Rebekah, to the other ghost, all the way to being pulled away from Kol a split second to early. "I haven't seen him since, but Henrik is still here."

I know Jade well enough to tell when she's trying to think. Right now, she has that puzzled look on her face. From the squinted eyes to the slightly pursed lips. She finally looks me in the eye, without a trace of skepticism. It makes me feel relieved beyond belief to know at least someone doesn't think I'm crazy. "I'm sorry you didn't get your chance to talk to him."

"I am too." I tell her with a sigh as I collapse on the bed. "The worst part is, I was so close. He was right there when they pulled me back."

"It's gonna be okay. I may not have premonitions like you, but I know that you two will see each other again."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, I know you. You're stubborn and never give up, and it seemed like Kol was the same way." She tells me as she places a hand over mine. "I have some things to show you. I've kept a hold of them for a bit because you didn't seem quite ready."

"What makes me suddenly ready now?"

"For one, you haven't broken down yet. Also, I think you need this right about now." She doesn't give me the chance to ask any more questions as she drags me down the hallway.

My heart lurches in my chest when I realize where we're going. Jade walks in without hesitation, but I remain frozen just outside the doorway. Jade sets some items on the bed and places a hand on my shoulder as she leaves.

"They're there whenever you're ready." The only sounds that reach my ears is the pounding of my heart in contrast to Jade's footsteps.

I swear my feet are glued to the floor. A piece of me wants to go inside, but the weight of the memories inside threaten to smother me. It's been hard enough for me to pass by his room everyday. The thought of being in there with him gone is suffocating.

Still, something pulls me in.

Kol's room is exactly how he left it. The bed is still hastily made, grimoires cover the desk, and our notes litter most surfaces. It makes a teary smile creep across my face. He always used to tease me about keeping him up late to talk or study magic.

This is the place where I realized I love him, where he held me and chased away nightmares, where I felt at home. Now, it's a cold reminder of what's now gone.

I sit down on the bed with my feet tucked under me and clutch a pillow to my chest. Jade left behind a large yellow folder with postmarks from New Orleans and my phone, which I reach for first. I press the home button and am greeted with a plethora of notifications, most of which I ignore and swipe away.

Although at the very end, two notifications break the wall I started building since that night.

Kol - missed call (7)

Voicemail - Kol (4)

The lock screen picture peeks out from beneath the white banners, which only makes me more emotional. It's from when Kol stole my phone, and he took pictures of us as I chased him around the house trying to get it back. He changed it to my home screen. I thought it was too cute for me to change it.

I unlock my phone and feel myself starting to slip at the photo of Kol kissing me that greets me from the screen. So many people wanted to warn me that he was evil and dangerous, but they never saw this side of him. Yes, he was constantly ruled by his emotions, which meant he went on rampages, and he obviously hurt people, even while we were dating. I'm not naive enough to pretend otherwise. The difference is that he made efforts to improve and was willing to recognize his faults and mistakes.

The Kol I knew would stay up late with me to talk about the most random thing; he would hold me and whisper soothing words to me in the midst of my worst panic attacks. Best of all, my Kol would do silly, kind, and romantic things all the time, for no other reason than to remind me he loved me.

The messages seem to taunt me. If they could, I'm sure they'd be laughing at my fear. It sends shudders through my limbs and pain into my heart. I don't know how Jade possibly thought I was ready for this. Then again, is anyone ever prepared for something like this?

I don't know what it is to be strong anymore. That piece of myself seems to have been washed away amidst the tears. He was usually the one who always knew how to help me find it again. Now that he's gone, I feel like I've got a compass without a map or idea of where I am. It's definitely possible to find my way, but the task feels so daunting that I'm too scared to take the first step.

There's a voice in my head that reminds me it's possible—I can do this. I want to laugh at how much it sounds like Kol. He always used to tell me I could do it. All I had to do was believe in myself a little bit more and push my limits.

So that's what I do.

I tap on the screen and press it to my ear as the pre-message static plays. The first tear starts to roll down my cheek as I hear his voice for the first time since I was pulled away from him.

"Ace," he breathes out, "I know you're probably ignoring my call right now because you're angry with me. Either that or you left your phone on silent again." I chuckle along with him.

We both know that's one of my worst habits. I check and find that it was indeed the reason I hadn't gotten the messages sooner. "Still, I wanted you to know that I'm sorry I had to do that, but it was the only way I could think to keep you safe right now. It definitely wasn't my best idea. I just feel better to know you're okay. I'll talk to you when I get back."

My whole mind feels numb as I continue through the messages, most of which were him trying to get me to answer so he could at least know I was safe. Apparently, even with me supposed to be locked away in Klaus's prison, Kol still found a way to be worried for me.

There's a break in the messages from when we were in Mary's house and trying to find a compromise with Jeremy, but he started calling again shortly after Damon threw me in his trunk. It was the moment everything started falling apart. The memory makes my dark need for revenge resurface, and I determine to satisfy that craving very soon.

For now, I'm going to listen to Kol's last messages to me.

"Lee, if you can, please, answer your phone. I just need to know where you are so I can come get you." There's a long pause as I hear Klaus and Rebekah arguing in the background. Their muffled voices are nearly indecipherable, but I can barely hear them mention 'Gilbert.' Kol's voice quickly comes back through the speak accompanied by the jangling of keys. "We know where you are. I'm coming to get you now. I promise you, you're going to be all right, and when you are, we're packing our bags. I'm not wasting another moment for things to settle down, we'll leave tonight. Just you and me." His voice falters for a moment, and when he speaks again, it's laced with emotions. "I love you, Ace."

"I love you too, Mikaelson." I whisper to the phone as if he somehow could hear it. We rarely spoke those words to each other. They had always been a bit foreign on our lips, but it made the moments when we did say it all the more special.

I play the last part of the message over and over again. The sound of his voice engraves itself in my mind. It brings me a sense of comfort to know that I haven't lost that piece of him.

The empty space in my chest is slowly filled with the pain of heartbreak and anger. It wakes the darkness that lays coiled inside my mind. I allow it to seep into every crack and chip of myself. The folder slips onto the floor, and I tell myself to look at it later as I place it back on the bed. Although, the small pink sticky note with familiar handwriting catches my attention.

Jade's handwriting stares back at me. Swirling blue ink that spells out a reminder of something I didn't even realize I forgot. "Don't forget the promise you made to yourself."

Suddenly all the energy and rage from seconds ago seems to flood out of me. I don't need to think very hard to recall the promise she's talking about. It may feel like a lifetime ago, but the truth is only a few months have passed since I vowed to find my birth parents, to tell them that I forgive them and they made a good choice after all. I realize that now more than ever.

If it wasn't for them, I would have never grown up happy and carefree. I likely would have been trapped under the weight of what I am, and I certainly wouldn't have met Kol, that alone feels like enough of a reason to justify it.

The seal tears open easily beneath my fingers, yet I still have to find the courage to actually look at the contents. My brain struggles to process all of this as real. Of course, I know that papers in my hands and the information neatly printed on them is the truth I've yearned to know, but everything feels so surreal. There's a part of me that expected Kol to be here for this. We talked enough about this moment that I'm pretty sure I know what he'd say.

"You really should open that." My head snaps up at the sound of his voice. He stands a few feet away at the foot of the bed. Everything about him is exactly the same. From the leather jacket that I always stole from him, to his messy hair, all the way down to the brown eyes that can read me like a book.

I want nothing more than to savor this moment, but in the back of my mind is a question lingering that I can't ignore. "Is this really you? Or are you just some cruel hallucination?"

"What do you think?" He questions with his usual grin as he tilts his head to the side.

"I honestly don't know what to think anymore. Heck, I don't know what to feel anymore. Nothing makes sense." Kol shifts around on his feet, a flicker of pain on his face. "You didn't answer my question. Is it really you?"

"You already know the answer, but you won't admit it to yourself." He whispers as if saying it too loudly will change the fact.

"I guess it's true what people say. I really am my own worst enemy." I shift my jaw and bite back the frustrated tears. All I want is to talk with him one more time. "Because my own mind thinks it's okay to torture me with hallucinations of my dead boyfriend. As if I'm not hurting enough."

It's obvious he's trying to shield his emotions and to stay strong for my sake. "You really need to stop stealing my pillows, darling." Kol teases, and it makes a genuine laugh bubble from my lips. "I can't tell you how much I've miss that sound."

"I can't tell you how much I've missed your teasing and how much I wish it was really you here." I whisper back as the smile fades from my face as quickly as it came. "I should have listened to you, you know. Maybe if I had, we wouldn't be like this."

Kol is by my side the second the words pass my lips. His hand reaches out to comfort me, but he quickly remembers the impossibility of it. "Don't say that. None of this is your fault, Ace."

"Yes, it is." I snap at him. "If I had just stayed put, you would never have been there. You would still be here. I would be talking to you instead of a hallucination." Tears build in my eyes with every word. This is the pain and guilt I've trapped in for this past week. No one knew that this is part of why I've been hurting so much. It's been eating away, tormenting, and overwhelming me every second of the day. I have to turn my eyes to the floor to keep from seeing his expression.

Still, Kol drops down to his knee so our eyes once again meet. "No. Don't you dare do that to yourself. You did everything right, and I would gladly die again if it meant you were safe."

I flex my jaw. The words spread a mix of warmth and pain through me. Never before did I think someone could love me so much, or that I could love so greatly in response.

"There's something I need to know." My voice falters for a moment, and I wait for it to clear before I continue. "I wish you knew how I could bring you back."

"Don't worry about that right now." Kol tells me in the same tone he used when talking about something we won't budge on. Not to mention the fact that he's only a figment of my tormented imagination. "Right now, you need to open that envelope."

I pick up the envelope and gently pull out the neat bundle of papers. The first page contains the birth certificate I was never allowed to see. My biological parents name are listed in black, printed letters. "That's their names. That's my real name." I whisper and swipe away at the tears before they fall onto the paper. "Judah Rousseau, father. Amélie Claire, mother."

Kol leans over my shoulder and reads off the name I was born under. "Valette Claire Rousseau. It fits you, but I think I like Ophelia better."

"Of course, you would." I chuckle and roll my eyes.

We sit together in silence as I flip through the many pages that include the details of my adoption, information about my parents, and even their last known addresses. Kol finally speaks up as I look over the last page. "You should go."

I immediately look up to meet his gaze. "What?"

"You should go find them. Forget about the Mystic Falls drama, just go." Kol sighs as he stands and faces me. "I think you should go track them down, take a break from this and get to know your family. I can wait, but this can't."

"Kol, I really don't—"

"Lee, you can't argue your way out of this. This is something you need to do for yourself. Go, find them, be happy for a little while." I have to remind myself this is only my brain's cruel projection of him, that it's not really him. Still, I know if he were here, the real Kol would probably say the exact same thing.

"Is this your way of trying to keep me out of trouble? Or are you hoping I'll give up on bringing you back if I leave?"

"Yes and no. It will leave you farther away from my family, which is exactly what you need right now, but I know you. You've already made it clear you're not going to change your mind about bringing me back."

"Good. Because I don't think I could ever forget you, Kol Mikaelson."

"Nor I you, Lee Mitchell."


	27. 27

The dinner table was deathly silent that night. Only the clinking of silverware broke the quiet tension of unasked questions and raging thoughts. No one wanted to start the conversation, but they simultaneously wanted to have their say.

I can feel the weight of their gazes, and I know they're waiting for me to fill them in on the day's events and answer questions. They don't have to ask. I know Jade is curious about my birth parents, while Bex and Lijah want to know more about my trip to the other side. Still, I can't turn my focus away from my conversation with Kol and the guilt that's burrowing in my chest. Neither of them know about Henrik, and even Jade is clueless about my conversation with Kol.

Honestly, I want to scream to break the monotonous silence and the pressure of my own guilty thoughts. It feels like the walls are slowly closing in to suffocate me. I have to consciously remind myself to breathe until they stay put.

"You can go ahead and ask, you know. I'll do my best to answer." My voice is quiet but clearly audible in the otherwise silent room.

Elijah waits a moment, adjusts his suit, and start the 'interrogation,' while Rebekah and Jade deftly slip in their questions where they can. I keep back the information about the doppleganger and make slight hints to Henrik with the hopes they'll catch on. They seem troubled enough by the information I've given them already, but it feels wrong to keep such a large secret from them. I vow to tell them by the time Nik gets back.

As if the mere thought of him is enough to summon him, the front door opens, and the hybrid strolls in merely. "I suppose you had a successful trip, Niklaus?" Elijah questions as he finally turns his attention away from me.

"Quite. I found exactly what I was looking for." Klaus smiles as he leans against the door frame to the dining room. "It shouldn't be long before we can decipher that map."

My skin bristles. Kol spent every moment he had warning them about the danger of what they're doing, yet even after he died to stop them, no one will bother to listen. The pure thickheadedness of the Mikaelsons can be truly baffling to me most days. "If you'll excuse me, I just lost my appetite." I tell them as I push away my chair and glare at Klaus while I leave. "Nice to have you back, Klaus."

"If I didn't know better, I would think you weren't happy to see me." He jokes, clearly sensing the sarcasm dripping from my voice. Under most circumstances, I would be thrilled to have Klaus back, but not when he went on a trip to chase after the one thing his brother and I have fought against. Especially when he has the guts to brag about it in my presence.

"Now what ever gave you that idea?" I snap in reply with clenched fists. All I can think to do is give into the bitterness that courses through my veins. He was one of the few people that was there when I was grieving, but when I showed the slightest sign of improvement and a development in his search happened, he jetted off without the slightest hesitation. It's a wound that cuts deep into my already torn heart.

The silence and peace the library normally brings me comfort, but tonight it only grated on my ever nerve. My focus keeps drifting from the book in my lap, and I find myself reading the same sentence over and over again. I have to consciously remind myself not to slam the book in frustration.

Instead, I set it aside, grab my sketchbook, and resort to pacing the garden in an attempt to sort myself out. The problem is, I know so much but have no way to explain it. Not to mention, Klaus's pride and stubborn attitude.

How am I supposed to explain it? The nightmares that Kol would chase away finally started coming into startling clarity after his death. It's party true to call them nightmares, but the truth is they're more visions of what may be. Clips of a possible future if we continue down this road.

Then there's the added trouble of seeing Henrik and hallucinating my dead boyfriend. Yeah, everything is totally normal. It's just another day in my life, I suppose.

I keep staring at the same pages in my sketchbook. It's the only shred of proof I have beside the fading images in my head. I'm thankful for Klaus's lessons, they turned out to be quite useful. The sketch of Henrik's laughing face looks up at em from the page and right beside it is a drawing I made of Kol before—everything.

The next few pages are filled with the images from my dreams as best as I can remember. One familiar face in particular makes me stop. It was from one of the few happy scenes.

A little girl with vibrant red hair, a radiant smile, and an all too familiar glint in her eyes, was hugging me. Her tiny arms struggled to wrap around my legs. In the dream, I watched the scene from outside my body, but I could feel the joy and love that radiated off of her.

There are more sketches of things that should feel familiar. Faces that I should be able to name and places I should recognize. Yet every time I try to place them, they slip away like water through my fingers.

Footsteps echo from behind me. I roll my eyes in the annoyance of my disturbed thoughts. "Rebekah told me you had something to tell me." Klaus almost whispers. His voice has lost the haughty pride and taunting humor from before.

"I did." Now, I'm not sure if you'll listen to what I have to say." I inform him without bothering to turn around. "Plus, I don't think I'm going to like your response."

"Try me, love. I may just surprise you." Klaus jokes with his usual light-heartedness that only he can make seem so menacing. I want to trust and think the best of him, but we know each other too well for me to expect a calm reaction.

I pass him the sketchbook and give him a moment to look through it. "Most of those are images from my nightmare, which seems to be my latest vision."

Klaus looks up in concern, and my heart drops when I realize he's only a page away from Henrik's sketch. "Do you know what this one is about?"

My answer is clear in my shifting stance and nervous gaze. "It's not good, Nik. You have to trust me on this one."

"Tell me what it's about, Lee." He growls, clearly losing his patience.

"It's the start of the destruction of the Mikaelson's and what will happen if you continue to search for the cure." Nik continues to look at me for a beat, then laughs wholly and truly. "I'm serious, Klaus. I've seen more than you can know."

Klaus continues to chuckle as his gaze returns to the sketchbook. "You of all people know that my family has come through every adversity. I'm sure this will be no differ—" His voice cuts off when he finally sees the likeness of Henrik.

I don't have a second to blink before Klaus has his hand wrapped around my throat. The tips of my shoes barely scrape the ground as I struggle to find an ounce of breath. "Nik, let me—"

"No, let me explain." He interjects. "You have one chance to tell me the truth. Don't think that my care for you will keep me from getting the truth out of you at any cost. Now tell me, why did you draw Henrik?"

"Because, I met him." My voice barely comes out as a raspy whisper thanks to the pressure on my throat, which increases after my statement. I have to consciously remind myself that lashing out or siphoning magic will only make this worse. Klaus will come to his senses soon enough. "I met him on the other side. He wanted you to know he doesn't blame you, and you shouldn't either." I lock eyes with Niklaus as I speak. His eyes watch me looking for any hint of a lie, but he can't find any.

"You're lying." His grips tightens to compensate for the slight waver in his voice. It's clear he's trying to convince himself it's true.

Black dots creep into my vision, yet I somehow manage to remain calm. There's just enough breath in me to whisper out. "He told me about the horse." Klaus's eyes widen at the statement, and I know he has no argument against me now.

"Niklaus!" Elijah's panicked, stern voice echoes into the garden. In a flash, he shoves Nik away and catches me before I fall. Coughs shake my body before I can finally gulp down the air my lungs crave. Rebekah is quickly at my side, which allows Elijah to focus on other matters. "Would you care to explain yourself, brother?" Elijah questions as he advances on his younger brother, full of a cold anger.

Rebekah questions if I'm alright, and I barely manage a nod as I keep my eyes trained on the brothers. The traces of her blood in my system have been working to heal any damage Klaus may have caused in his rage. Now, I can see it fighting the remorse across his features as he tries to determine if he's dealing with another betrayal or the truth he can't bear to face.

There's a haunting thought of what could have happened if Klaus hadn't let go so soon. A broken girl with almost nothing left to live or care for. If I had turned, there's a perfect recipe for a ripper.

"She dared to mock me, Elijah." He bellows in his usual terror. "I will not be taunted by her lies or allow her to sully the memory of Henrik with lies."

Elijah looks over his shoulder for a moment, and it's clear that he already knew. Still, there's no unbelief in his eyes, all I can find is trust. It nearly brings tears to my eyes. This whole time I've had to remain myself that I'm not crazy, despite everyone I've told looking at me like that.

Now, without hesitation or questioning, Elijah believes me.

We share a silent understanding, he knows I would never lie about something this important. I couldn't lie about something this important. "I believe she was telling the truth Niklaus." Elijah says with his eyes still trained on me for a moment. His gaze turns back to the now baffled hybrid. "Lee has never been one to lie or wish our family harm. Therefore, I have no reason to doubt her at this time."

Klaus brushes past Elijah and looms over me. I can feel Rebekah tense up, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. "How did you know about the horse?" He whisper, and somehow the quietness makes it so much worse. "No one knew about that."

"Except for Henrik." I remind him. Klaus can huff and puff all he wants, but I can see past the anger to the insecure, broken person beneath. "He told me how it happened, how you took the beating, and especially how you promised to show him the wolves to cheer him up."

Henrik shows up in the corner of the garden, clearly pained to see his brother like this. My eyes can't help but drift to him. Everyone notices and quickly follows the line of sight as if to see him too. "Is he—?" Rebekah questions. I manage a nod in reply

He walks over to Klaus's side and stares up at him with all the love and care as if the years of mistakes and time apart never occurred. "He looks so sad." He comments before turning to me. "Tell him about that night. It will help him to understand and believe you."

Apparently, Klaus had been speaking this whole time, but I interrupt him as I repeat Henrik's words. "It was cold that night."

"What did you say?" Klaus starts to question, but Elijah holds a hand out in front of him when he sees I'm lost in trying to capture Henrik's story.

"He said it was cold that night. Colder than it usually was in the summer, but the moon was so bright it was like magic. You snuck out after you were sure the others were fast asleep, and he was so excited to see the wolves.

"You two weren't planning on staying for long. Just quietly slip out, peek at one of them, and slip back unnoticed before the others would wake up. It felt like hours of walking silently through the wood without a sign of anything. You kept reassuring him that you were going to see one. After all, you always kept your promises." I feel the tears well up in my eyes as Henrik struggles to tell the rest of the story. It's clear this has been a secret Niklaus has kept since his death, and even he struggles with the truth. "Henrik got impatient. He thought you were being too slow and swore he spotted something ahead. So he tried to sneak up on it before it was gone. You ran after him, but—"

"—but what?" Rebekah questions as she shakes my shoulder with tears streaming down her face.

"—Klaus was a second too late." I look up at Nik, who is trying desperately not to show his tears. "He said it was his fault. Klaus fought and killed the wolf before it could touch him again. Even though he got hurt, he kept himself between Henrik and the wolf. Henrik said—he said that you ran with him in your arms all the way back and told him it was going to be alright, that you promised he would be okay. He watched you after he died, how you kept talking to him, and how Mikael beat you mercilessly after."

Henrik attempts to wrap his hand around Klaus's and doesn't seem deterred when it passes through. "He kept his promise. I am okay, just not how anyone expected. We're all okay in our own way. Even if we are a bit banged up." I watch him as he stares at Klaus and moves to each of his siblings in turn. "Elijah still cares about our family more than anything. He still puts them before himself. Rebekah, she's still their comfort. Even if she pretends to hate them, she's the one they'll always turn to. They need each other, Lee. Always and forever."

I smile at him and nod in acknowledgement. There's a bittersweet smile on Henrik's face, and the sorrow in his eyes is almost completely faded. "What now?" I question, he's given me so much to tell them, but I worry about what he'll do after a millennia of waiting to speak to them.

"I'm ready." Our eyes meet, and a silent understanding passes between us. "I think it's time for me to go. There's a lady here who can help people continue on, if she allows it. Now, I'm ready." Henrik smiles and stands just in front of me. "There's just one last thing. Promise me you'll help them."

"I'll do my best." I reply with teary eyes as he slowly leaves the garden with one last look before he's gone entirely.

"You'll do your best to what?" Rebekah asks as she wipes her eyes, but fresh tears quickly take their place. I fill her in on the details of the last things Henrik told me, all the way to my promise and his moving on. "So, he's gone? He's—at peace?"

"I'm not sure, but I think so."

"She's lying." Klaus grumbles. "Henrik was never here. She just wants us to think he was."

"Then was what she said false, Nik? Did she lie about the story she told?" Bex snaps as she faces off with Niklaus. "Because we've spent a thousand years as vampires, yet you've never spoken one word of that night. So tell us, was she lying?"

Klaus stays silent for what feels like eternity. Even when he does speak, he ignores his siblings, lifts me to my feet, and tells me, "Get out. I don't want to see you here again. You have until morning to pack your things and leave."

I thought I knew what it felt like to have your heart ripped out, but it's much worse to have it torn from you once, regain a piece of it, only to have it taken from you all over again. Rebekah tries to stop me, but I place a hand on hers until she releases me and walk away.

Elijah and Rebekah's shouts fill my ears, and I can feel Klaus's stare burning into me. Still, I keep pushing myself forward. I keep going despite the shattering noise echoing in my head and the growth of the hollowness in my chest.

Jade meets me in the doorway, having clearly heard the shouting match, and walks up the stairs with me. "Can you help me pack up? There's one more thing I need to do before we go."

Mystic Falls was nothing more than a fading sign in the rearview mirror as Jade drove away to our apartment. "So, how long do you think it'll be before you go back?" She asks and dares a quick glance in my direction. "Before Klaus let's you back?"

"I don't know. I don't really care right now." I reply as I lean back into my seat. "I have more important things to do than worry about Klaus's temper or the Mikaelson drama."

"Like your revenge that you just finished doing? Which I'm still not entirely comfortable being an accomplice in. Although, even I have to admit it was well deserved for everything they've done."

I roll my eyes at her dramatics. "Don't worry. I didn't do any permanent damage. Plus, with that out of the way, I'm free to keep my promise to myself."

"So you're really going?"

"Of course, I am. It's something I need to do—for myself." I tell her with a soft smile, and she returns it instantly dashed with pride at my recognition of its necessity. "After that, I'm thinking about just traveling for a while. Go wherever the wind takes me. I talked to my parents, and they finally agreed for me to make the most of my time off."

"Wow. Time really does change people." Jade chuckles. "I'm glad though. You need to find some peace."

"If not about Kol, than at least about where I came from."

"New Orleans better watch out. 'Cause Lee Mitchell is coming its way."

"You bet I am."


	28. 28

"I'm sorry, kiddo, but Aunt V has to go for a little while." I explain to my toddler nephew as I set him down with one last kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise." Jack watches me over his mother's shoulder as she carries him off to bed.

Theo nods solemnly as he stands in front of me, and I know he doesn't believe that the call from Jade is my whole reason for leaving. It's not, the call was just conveniently timed. Right now, I need to leave New Orleans for a little bit—well, I need to escape Kaleb for a bit.

Not to mention that if what I think actually happened is true; they're gonna need my help now more than ever before.

"Hey, be safe." Theo warns as he grabs my arm before I can leave. "You just started getting to be a part of this family, and we'd like to keep it that way."

"I'll do my best." I want to tell him everything will be perfectly fine, but I can't make promises when I know they're lies. This is going to be dangerous, and I know I'm far too prone to taking unnecessary risks to guaranteeing my return.

Still, that doesn't keep me from taking a lingering look over my shoulder to remember what I have to return to and what I keep fighting for. It's their faces that burn into my mind as I drive away from home and safety back to the place where I lost myself and my heart—back to Mystic Falls.

My muscles are frozen stiff as I look at the Mikaelson mansion. Nothing about it has changed, and it physically hurts me to be back here. I keep expecting another hallucination of Kol to appear out of nowhere, to tease and lecture me like he always did.

I let my head fall against the wheel as I wonder if coming back here was a mistake. Of course, they're definitely needing me, but I don't know if I'll be any use to them like this. The only thing coming back here has done so far is brought back all of my grief that I've spent so long processing.

One touch and I might just shatter all over again, and this time, I doubt I have the strength to put myself back together again.

Still, I manage the strength to actually leave my car and head into the house. It seems so empty, more so than when I last left it. The silence that used to wrap around me like a comfortable blanket, now it smothers. It becomes a horrifying ring in my ears as it pounds in between my footsteps.

There's only one person I can find as I search through the house, and I have to keep myself from walking away the moment I see him. "I'm surprised you came." Klaus speaks as he raises his glass to his lips. All the while, he doesn't turn around. Instead, he stares at the fire in front of him.

"I'm more surprised you told Jade to have me come." I reply as I lean against the doorway. "After your lovely goodbye and the fact that you still didn't listen to me, I figured you would have the situation under control."

There's no point in lying or hiding it. I am enjoying rubbing this in Klaus's smug face. He made it very clear that he didn't want or need me around; not to mention he ignored every single warning and piece of advice I gave on how not to wake up Silas. Yet, here I am. So, yes, I think I deserve the right to be a little bit smug.

"Yes, rub it in." The frustration and pride radiates from him. "Now, did you come to gloat or to help me?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"What I get out of this." A smirk slowly emerges across my lips as I saunter over to him. His eyes drill into the side of my head, and it only increases as I steal his glass and finish it in one swig. "Because, I'm tired of doing dirty work for vampires. First I have a vampire in New Orleans who wants me to help him keep witches in line, and now you want me to help take down the oldest, strongest immortal. I don't think so. If you're serious about needing my help, I want a few things in return."

Klaus grinds his teeth together and snatches the glass from my hands. "And what, pray tell, are your conditions?"

"First, you have to apologize." I hold up a finger to keep him from cutting me off. "Second, I want access to Kol's ashes. Lastly, you will owe me a gigantic favor, which will only be limited by when and what I ask you to do. If you agree, I'll help you stop Silas. Otherwise, have fun dying. I'm sure he'll make it long and miserable." I tap my hand against his shoulder in mock compassion as I start to walk away.

One, two, three. "Fine." Klaus stops me. He clenches his jaws as he barely manages to get the words out. "I am sorry for what I did to you." Then after a long moment, his expression softens. "Truly, sorry. I should have believed you, and I reacted poorly. It was wrong of me to hurt you and even worse for me to force you to leave."

He stops for a moment and avoids my eyes as he stares down at the empty glass in his hands. A small, true smile makes it onto my face. "Good. I forgive you by the way. I just needed to hear you actually apologize for once in your life." I collapse in one of the chairs. "Now, where do you want to start?"

"Let's start with what you know."

"You're in luck. Because Kol told me quite a bit, and after—everything—I started doing my own research. Not to mention, when I realized you weren't going to give up, I started to take some precautions and planned ahead. So, I suggest you pour both of us a drink, because this is gonna be a long night."

The rug in the Mikaelson's front room turned out to be perfect for pacing. At least, it was better than hearing my feet rhythmically hit the floor. I was told to stay back at the mansion and remain everyone's 'secret weapon' against Silas.

Why the whole ordeal of keeping me locked away is beyond me. I don't see why I can't at least go outside every once in a while. Everyone has determined to be overly cautious for once in their lives. Although, from what I've heard in everyone's reports this past week, Silas is crazier than I thought.

I force myself to stop pacing and plop down on the couch. Klaus was supposed to call me with an update on the latest maneuver against Silas an hour ago, but it's been complete radio silence. Despite everything that has happened between us before, it's hard to not worry about everyone So now, I have to focus on something else— like perfecting keeping people out of my mind. It was a skill I started to develop in New Orleans. After all, you can never be too careful when your secretly working with a vampire and against a whole coven who would kill you without hesitation.

Brick walls, high, thick, and sturdy enough to withstand any attack. I imagine them in every detail. The discoloration of some of the bricks, the feel of them beneath my fingers, and any cracks that need my repairing. It's all part of my daily routine, which also helps me feel a little more sane.

My phone rings out against the silence and shatters my concentration. I scramble off the couch in a dive to reach it. "Hello? Klaus, what happened? Is everything okay?"

"Depends on your definition of 'okay.'" His words are mangled between his ragged breathing. "Open the door, would you?"

I don't even think as I run to the front door and nearly collapse under the weight of Klaus as he falls onto me. "What happened to you?" I question as I help him stumble inside. "Why are you bleeding?"

"Silas." He wheezes and cries out in pain as he leans against a table. "He stabbed me with a white oak stake, and there's still a piece left."

The words 'white oak stake' send a chill straight through me. This week has already been hellish enough with the constant reminders and impending doom, but the idea of losing someone else to this foolish chase is infuriating. "Stay still. I need to get it out quickly."

It takes everything in me to not throw up as I reach in and try to feel around for a sliver of the stake. Klaus continues to wail from the pain, but I have to do my best to ignore it and focus. "I can't find it. It's like there's nothing there."

"Trust me, it's there." He snaps through gritted teeth.

I search for another few moments before the realization smacks me in the face. Still, I don't bother to try to explain to Klaus, instead, I use the opportunity to get in his head. It doesn't take much to realize that he and I aren't the only ones in there. A shadow darker than night twists and prods at his mind.

A part of me wants nothing more than to shut it out—to block Klaus's mind from further torment, but the shadow releases before I get the chance to.

"Did you?" Klaus questions in shock. "Or was that?"

"Silas. He was messing with your head, making you believe that there was a piece of the stake still in you." I sigh and shake my head. "I warned you, he's powerful and more ruthless than even you."

Klaus watches me for a long moment, and I can see in his eyes there's something he's not telling me. Although, knowing him, he'll keep that secret until he deems it necessary to tell me. "I think it's time we accelerate our time table and test out our secret weapon."

A sigh passes my lips. "Well, this is gonna be good." I whisper to myself as I leave to clean off my hands and prepare for whatever mess I'm about to get into now.


	29. 29

"I'm sorry, kiddo, but Aunt V has to go for a little while." I explain to my toddler nephew as I set him down with one last kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise." Jack watches me over his mother's shoulder as she carries him off to bed.

Theo nods solemnly as he stands in front of me, and I know he doesn't believe that the call from Jade is my whole reason for leaving. It's not, the call was just conveniently timed. Right now, I need to leave New Orleans for a little bit—well, I need to escape Kaleb for a bit.

Not to mention that if what I think actually happened is true; they're gonna need my help now more than ever before.

"Hey, be safe." Theo warns as he grabs my arm before I can leave. "You just started getting to be a part of this family, and we'd like to keep it that way."

"I'll do my best." I want to tell him everything will be perfectly fine, but I can't make promises when I know they're lies. This is going to be dangerous, and I know I'm far too prone to taking unnecessary risks to guaranteeing my return.

Still, that doesn't keep me from taking a lingering look over my shoulder to remember what I have to return to and what I keep fighting for. It's their faces that burn into my mind as I drive away from home and safety back to the place where I lost myself and my heart—back to Mystic Falls.

My muscles are frozen stiff as I look at the Mikaelson mansion. Nothing about it has changed, and it physically hurts me to be back here. I keep expecting another hallucination of Kol to appear out of nowhere, to tease and lecture me like he always did.

I let my head fall against the wheel as I wonder if coming back here was a mistake. Of course, they're definitely needing me, but I don't know if I'll be any use to them like this. The only thing coming back here has done so far is brought back all of my grief that I've spent so long processing.

One touch and I might just shatter all over again, and this time, I doubt I have the strength to put myself back together again.

Still, I manage the strength to actually leave my car and head into the house. It seems so empty, more so than when I last left it. The silence that used to wrap around me like a comfortable blanket, now it smothers. It becomes a horrifying ring in my ears as it pounds in between my footsteps.

There's only one person I can find as I search through the house, and I have to keep myself from walking away the moment I see him. "I'm surprised you came." Klaus speaks as he raises his glass to his lips. All the while, he doesn't turn around. Instead, he stares at the fire in front of him.

"I'm more surprised you told Jade to have me come." I reply as I lean against the doorway. "After your lovely goodbye and the fact that you still didn't listen to me, I figured you would have the situation under control."

There's no point in lying or hiding it. I am enjoying rubbing this in Klaus's smug face. He made it very clear that he didn't want or need me around; not to mention he ignored every single warning and piece of advice I gave on how not to wake up Silas. Yet, here I am. So, yes, I think I deserve the right to be a little bit smug.

"Yes, rub it in." The frustration and pride radiates from him. "Now, did you come to gloat or to help me?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"What I get out of this." A smirk slowly emerges across my lips as I saunter over to him. His eyes drill into the side of my head, and it only increases as I steal his glass and finish it in one swig. "Because, I'm tired of doing dirty work for vampires. First I have a vampire in New Orleans who wants me to help him keep witches in line, and now you want me to help take down the oldest, strongest immortal. I don't think so. If you're serious about needing my help, I want a few things in return."

Klaus grinds his teeth together and snatches the glass from my hands. "And what, pray tell, are your conditions?"

"First, you have to apologize." I hold up a finger to keep him from cutting me off. "Second, I want access to Kol's ashes. Lastly, you will owe me a gigantic favor, which will only be limited by when and what I ask you to do. If you agree, I'll help you stop Silas. Otherwise, have fun dying. I'm sure he'll make it long and miserable." I tap my hand against his shoulder in mock compassion as I start to walk away.

One, two, three. "Fine." Klaus stops me. He clenches his jaws as he barely manages to get the words out. "I am sorry for what I did to you." Then after a long moment, his expression softens. "Truly, sorry. I should have believed you, and I reacted poorly. It was wrong of me to hurt you and even worse for me to force you to leave."

He stops for a moment and avoids my eyes as he stares down at the empty glass in his hands. A small, true smile makes it onto my face. "Good. I forgive you by the way. I just needed to hear you actually apologize for once in your life." I collapse in one of the chairs. "Now, where do you want to start?"

"Let's start with what you know."

"You're in luck. Because Kol told me quite a bit, and after—everything—I started doing my own research. Not to mention, when I realized you weren't going to give up, I started to take some precautions and planned ahead. So, I suggest you pour both of us a drink, because this is gonna be a long night."

The rug in the Mikaelson's front room turned out to be perfect for pacing. At least, it was better than hearing my feet rhythmically hit the floor. I was told to stay back at the mansion and remain everyone's 'secret weapon' against Silas.

Why the whole ordeal of keeping me locked away is beyond me. I don't see why I can't at least go outside every once in a while. Everyone has determined to be overly cautious for once in their lives. Although, from what I've heard in everyone's reports this past week, Silas is crazier than I thought.

I force myself to stop pacing and plop down on the couch. Klaus was supposed to call me with an update on the latest maneuver against Silas an hour ago, but it's been complete radio silence. Despite everything that has happened between us before, it's hard to not worry about everyone So now, I have to focus on something else— like perfecting keeping people out of my mind. It was a skill I started to develop in New Orleans. After all, you can never be too careful when your secretly working with a vampire and against a whole coven who would kill you without hesitation.

Brick walls, high, thick, and sturdy enough to withstand any attack. I imagine them in every detail. The discoloration of some of the bricks, the feel of them beneath my fingers, and any cracks that need my repairing. It's all part of my daily routine, which also helps me feel a little more sane.

My phone rings out against the silence and shatters my concentration. I scramble off the couch in a dive to reach it. "Hello? Klaus, what happened? Is everything okay?"

"Depends on your definition of 'okay.'" His words are mangled between his ragged breathing. "Open the door, would you?"

I don't even think as I run to the front door and nearly collapse under the weight of Klaus as he falls onto me. "What happened to you?" I question as I help him stumble inside. "Why are you bleeding?"

"Silas." He wheezes and cries out in pain as he leans against a table. "He stabbed me with a white oak stake, and there's still a piece left."

The words 'white oak stake' send a chill straight through me. This week has already been hellish enough with the constant reminders and impending doom, but the idea of losing someone else to this foolish chase is infuriating. "Stay still. I need to get it out quickly."

It takes everything in me to not throw up as I reach in and try to feel around for a sliver of the stake. Klaus continues to wail from the pain, but I have to do my best to ignore it and focus. "I can't find it. It's like there's nothing there."

"Trust me, it's there." He snaps through gritted teeth.

I search for another few moments before the realization smacks me in the face. Still, I don't bother to try to explain to Klaus, instead, I use the opportunity to get in his head. It doesn't take much to realize that he and I aren't the only ones in there. A shadow darker than night twists and prods at his mind.

A part of me wants nothing more than to shut it out—to block Klaus's mind from further torment, but the shadow releases before I get the chance to.

"Did you?" Klaus questions in shock. "Or was that?"

"Silas. He was messing with your head, making you believe that there was a piece of the stake still in you." I sigh and shake my head. "I warned you, he's powerful and more ruthless than even you."

Klaus watches me for a long moment, and I can see in his eyes there's something he's not telling me. Although, knowing him, he'll keep that secret until he deems it necessary to tell me. "I think it's time we accelerate our time table and test out our secret weapon."

A sigh passes my lips. "Well, this is gonna be good." I whisper to myself as I leave to clean off my hands and prepare for whatever mess I'm about to get into now.


	30. 30

A cool breeze comes through the alley behind the Mystic Grill, and I lean my head against the rough bricks to relish the feeling of it on my skin. "Are you even watching for the signal?" Damon scolds as the backdoor to the Grill slams closed. "Or are you just doing your own thing?"

"Well, of course, I'm doing my own thing. I mean, you are the Silas expert and have such a great handle on this. So I figured, why not let you handle this?" I snap and roll my eyes. There's another chuckle that mingles with mine, but I can't look at him.

Damon's temper is holding on by a thread. The expression on his face makes that perfectly clear. Why everyone thought that we should be paired together for this is beyond me. Neither of us has forgiven or forgotten what happened last time we were near each other. "Just do your part, Mitchell. He should be out any second."

"As long as you stay out of my way, Salvatore. I would hate to tell Elena that we're even." I tease as I turn my back to him. It's clear I struck a nerve, but as much as he wants to strangle me, he can't even get within three feet of me with the amount of energy I'm consciously siphoning. "I think he's feeling it. I can feel him getting closer. Call the group, tell them to be ready whiting the next minute."

Another talent I learned to hone from my time in New Orleans was how to sense power. Any supernatural being has a certain kind and strength of magic that's a part of them. Silas, the terrifyingly powerful witch, is easy to sense from a distance. It only took me moments of being in Mystic Falls to feel the strange magic he puts off.

Now, with only the couple yards separating us, I can actively start to strip away pieces of it. Of course, it's not enough to put a dent into his abilities, which would require direct contact, but it's enough to where with his abilities he can feel the vacuum pulling at his magic.

This is a very risky plan. Still, I have to remind myself this is out best bet to taking him down. Not to mention, I have a plan all my own that requires getting information from Silas. Although, none of the Mystic Falls gang or the Mikaelsons can know about it's done.

Footsteps echo just outside the alley. My heart pounds in my chest as the feeling of being faced with the sheer immensity of Silas's magic nearly knocks me down. All of my research and preparation seems pointless right now. Because in this moment, I can only face him off instinct.

I cut off the siphoning before Silas can figure out the exact source. Damon slips back into the Grill, and after a moment, I can hear the two quietly talking.

"Remember, isolate your mind, close all doors, and he won't be able to see inside." My hallucination Kol reminds me. One last review that I have my mind closed off. Then, I move as quietly as I can behind Silas.

Damon raises his voice to cover me. Although, Silas realizes the trap a split second too late. I plunge the syringe into his neck and press on the plunger to deposit the liquid in his veins. All the while, I madly siphon as much of his magic as I can until he drops. "Do you think he saw my face?" I question Damon with a mad grin.

"I don't think so." He replies as he watches me with a wary concern. "Why?"

"Well, I have another crazy idea."

Everyone in the room was currently looking at me like I finally lost my mind. Who know? Maybe I have, but I don't care. "Come on, you want real information out of him? Use me." A microscopic smile tries to break its way across my features.

I lean back into the couch as I wait for the inevitable debate to run its course. Of course, none of them have any inkling of the thoughts raging through my head. They don't know about my hopes of extra information from Silas. Well, an exchange of information if entirely necessary.

"How is this even supposed to work?" Bonnie inquires as she sits next to me on the couch. The rest of the group is too busy arguing. "We just stick you in there with him and then what? Expect the best?"

"Not exactly." I flex my jaw as I try to piece together the words. "Silas won't trust me without a good reason to. Hence why I need one of them to compel this conversation away, drug me up, and toss me in there."

"Under what pretenses?" Rebekah cuts in, clearly frustrated with the idea of locking me away with Silas. The devious smile finally breaks through my features. My gaze settles on Elena, and I watch as realization slowly flickers through the room. Bex sighs and puts a hand on her hip as she turns to Elena. "Prepare for some bruises."

I tumble into the makeshift cellar prison with a cry of pain. Damon's grip on my arms were killing me, and I'm sure that I'll have bruises to show for it. My legs wobble beneath me before giving out entirely. The dirt and rough stone scrape into my knees and hands in the fall.

A cold chuckle fills my ears. It's a sound that chills my heart and completely rids the haze of whatever they dosed me with to get me down here. "So, they're tossing their little weapon in here too?" Silas questions. His voice is accompanied by the clinking of chains as he moves to lean back.

"I'm not their weapon." I snap as I push myself up off the floor. "I'm no one's weapon."

"Really?" A smirk plasters across his face, which seems very out of place for the features I've always known as Stefan's. "Than tell me, what are you? Why did they throw you in here?"

"I'm my own person." I brush the dirt off my hands and refuse to meet his eyes. "If you must know, I snapped at their precious Elena. Not that she didn't deserve every bit of it." My words turn into a shout at the last sentence. I know they're listening.

Silas watches me intently for a second before he speaks. "Who's Kol?"

I hastily whisper a string of curse words and reinforce my mental barriers. Silas chuckles when he realizes I've essentially locked him out of my head. "He's none of your business."

"You sure about that? Because it seems as though you hate all of them, and at the very center of that hatred was one thought—Kol." I pointedly ignore him, but no matter how hard I try, I can't hide the flinch when I hear his name. "He must have meant a lot to you. Boyfriend?"

The silence only confirms his suspicions. "So he was your boyfriend. Who killed him?"

"Who said he died?" I question. The anger and bitterness is now rolling off me in waves.

Silas smiles like a Cheshire Cat as he quirks an eyebrow. "You just did."

"Fine. Yes, he died." I pause, considering if this will actually do anything to help. "They killed him to get to you faster. Elena and her brother killed him."

"Well, at least he didn't die for nothing."

Right then, something inside me snaps. I pause for a second to allow Silas to bask in his pride and glory. "But let's at least be fair. If you want to talk about my dead love, then let's talk about Amara."

The moment her name is spoken, the power dynamic in the room switches. "How do you know about Amara?"

A joyless laugh escapes my lips. "I know a lot about you, Silas. More than anyone else probably. I know all about you, Quetsiyah, and Amara." I tell him all of this as I slip the locket Judah gave me out from under my shirt. Inside is a little bit of sage; just enough for a few minutes of private conversation. My voice drops into a whisper as I prepare it on the ground. "I'll make a deal with you. I have something you want, and you have something I want. So let's agree to a trade."

"Why should I trust you?" Silas questions in the same hushed tone.

I bite my lip to keep from breaking a smile. "Because, I know where Quetsiyah is and how for you to get revenge." Of course, I have much more than just that, but I'm keeping that Ace up my sleeve for now. "So, what do you say. Are you willing to make a deal?"

The answer comes when Silas ignites the pile of sage on the ground and glares while saying. "Talk quickly."

"You and I both want similar things, to be with the person we love most again. Except, I want to be with Kol here. So, I'll tell you what you need to know if you tell me how to keep him here permanently. I also need the spell for immortality and the cure."

Silas's laugh fills the room at the last demand. "Keeping your boyfriend here will be complicated, but I'll tell you how. As for the spell, that's not happening. Not for what you're offering."

"Whoever said that was all I had to offer?" His attention is tentatively linked to me at the words. "First, I need a sign of good faith. You tell me how to get Kol back, and I'll tell you where Quetsiyah is hiding and what she's planning for you."

"You're a feisty one, but what makes you think that I need your help?"

"I'm not saying you do. All I'm saying is that you've waited a very long time for revenge. Why should you have to wait longer than necessary?"

"Fine. Let's call it a deal then." The chains clink out a song once again as he stretches his hand out, and I my bound ones. I know that this could end horribly, but it's my only chance. Not to mention, as much as I hate them, the Mystic Falls gang does a pretty decent job fixing their messes. This one shouldn't be too much beyond an everyday problem with my help and Quetsiyah's. "So, here's how you can keep to get him back."

It didn't take long for the sage to burn out and the smell of it to dissipate. Although, it was plenty of time for Silas and I to trade information, with the promise of another to come if both sides checked out. Once he thought the coast was clear though, Silas managed his way out of the restrictions, knocked me out, and ran for it.

"What the—?" Damon's shout filled the tiny room and pounded into my head. "You let him escape?" He growled as he tightened a fist around my throat. "I knew we couldn't trust you."

"You can." I whisper despite the building pressure on my windpipe. "He surprised me. I couldn't take him down before he was gone."

The rest of the Mystic Falls gang rush in at the sound of Damon's shouts. Rebekah, Caroline, and Bonnie rush him to let go of me, but I watch as Elena hesitates. Of course, she's the only one who he would actually listen to. "Put her down, Damon. We won't find out what happened if you kill her."

A broken laugh filters between my coughing. "I'm sure you would be beside yourself with grief for me." Elena shifts her jaw as she tries to pretend it's not true. "You guys still need me though. Especially for what he has planned next." I pause to catch my breath and stare down Damon with a condescending smirk. "Plus, I know exactly where he's going next."


	31. 31

The arguing that ensued after my revelation of Silas's plan is making my head hurt. I roll my eyes as I slip out without anyone noticing. Maybe I was wrong. They can barely make a decision, at this rate, I'll be the one handling this mess by myself after all.

I pull my phone out of my pocket, and dial the phone number I know will help me reach the person who can help with this mess. I can hear the phone ringing over and over again. Maybe they won't pick up, but there's a hope that tells me one more ring.

Sure enough, she picks up. Despite the silence, I know she's there. I can hear her breathing below the quiet static. "Hi, Tess. Do you have a minute?"

"Well, I'm in the middle of something right now. Is it important?"

"Silas knows." That's the only thing I need to say. "I would get out of there while you can. He'll probably lock you in any second now."

A quick curse comes from her side of the line. "You're right. I'm stuck in here until sundown."

"What do you need me to do?" I inquire. "Should we stick to the plan?"

"Yeah. Stick with it. I'll take care of the rest." That's all I hear her say before the line cuts off. I can't help but roll my eyes as I shove my phone back in my pocket. If there's one thing I learned fairly quickly, it's that playing both sides is utterly exhausting.

Still, there's no other way for me to get what has to be done and get what I need. I would never be able to live with myself if I let Silas win, but Quetsiyah, or 'Tess' as she now insists on being called, will never agree to help me get Kol back. So, the double agent game is my best option. I play both sides for what has to be done.

I head back into the boarding house and walk straight into the center of the argument. "Okay, so—" I drag out the syllable as I piece tougher exactly how to tell them. "—don't hate me, but I called Tess."

"You what?" Elena practically screams at me. She still hates her after the wiping Stefan's memory debacle.

"Yes, because if we're going to stop this we need her help." I snap back at her. "Now, our best chance is to ask the stupid travelers for help. Unfortunately, that means you guys, because let's be honest—they hate me."

"Hmm. Maybe I should start a club." Damon whispers, until he feels an invisible hand choking him. I offer him a shrug and fake innocence. "Fine. We'll try to talk to them, but you have to stay here."

I raise my hands and plop down on the couch. "Don't worry. The only place I plan on going is to the Mikaelson's." The group seems to be satisfied with my answer, because they turn their attention away from me to focus on what they're going to do next.

My notes litter every inch of the desk. I've spent every second since I got back at the mansion is being spent writing down and trying to determine the validity behind what Silas told me. Piece after piece of paper is slowly filled with my rushed handwriting.

I hate myself for the glimmer of hope that emerges as the plan starts to make sense. Maybe the grief that has haunted me since Kol died really has made me snap. Because this crazy, almost nonsensical plan is actually making a bit of sense. "Please, please, let this work." I whisper to myself. "This has to work."

"Does it really, darling?" HIs voice calls from behind me.

I sigh and let my head fall against the desk. "No. Please, not now."

"What? I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"Happy?" I shout and stand up with such force that the chair topples to the floor with a clatter behind me. "Why would I happy to see another cruel hallucination of you?"

The hallucination doesn't get a chance to say anything before I go on a long pent up rampage. I rage and scream until the pressure finally seems to ease. When it's gone, there's nothing left in me.

I fall onto my knees in tears. A strong pair of hands pull mine away from my face. "There's no more need to cry, Ace. I'm right here." Kol whispers and brushes away a stray tear.

Then it hits me like a meteorite crashing into the earth. He brushed away my tears. He's really here. My whole body begins to tremble, and I instinctively reach out with shaky fingers that gently brush against his cheek. "It's really you?"

Tears well up in Kol's eyes too as he cups my face in his hands. "Yeah, Ace. It's me."

The words catch in my throat, stuck behind the emotions and tears that are packed in too tightly for me to breathe. I manage them in stuttering bits between the waves of shock. "I—you—h-how are you here?"

Kol lets out a hollow laugh accompanied with a stuff smile. "Silas. He lowered the veil."

"He's going to do more. This is only the beginning." I whisper. We both know what Silas has planned, and it will end horribly for all of us. "I don't know how to stop him, Kol. I can't do this anymore, not by myself."

"Hey, who said you were by yourself?" He asks with the grin that always brought out a smile of my own. "Come on, you should probably get some sleep first."

I can't find the strength to argue with him as he lifts me from the floor and tucks me under the sheets. "Don't leave."

"Never again, Ace." He whispers with his arms wrapped around me like always, and I fall asleep to the sound of his breathing in time with mine.

I wake up to the feeling of his fingers brushing against the skin of my arm. It takes me a moment to remember this isn't a dream. Kol is really here with me right now. "Good morning, darling." He whispers as I turn over to face him.

"Morning." I whisper blearily and move closer to him. "I still can't believe it's really you."

"I can't believe it either." His smile sends another flurry of emotions through me like they used to when we first started dating. Although, the change in Kol's expression sobers up the moment. "We need to talk though."

I sigh and sit up. "I know. There's no way to know how much time we have." The cold floor sends a shiver up my spine as my bare feet hit the floor. "I have a plan, but I could still use another opinion on it."

"Is this your plan to stop Silas or bring me back?" Kol questions with that devious smirk he was always wearing. The same one that all the Mikaelson's seem to have in their repertoire.

"Well, I was thinking two birds one stone. I'll admit one giant stone, but still, I think it's worth at least trying." I turn back to face him but struggle to meet his eyes. "You know I'm not going to stop until you're back."

"I know. You always were stubborn like that; one of the many, many reasons I love you." He tells me with a smile as he gets up and wraps his arms around my waist. His chin rests against my shoulder as he looks over the scattered mess of notes on the desk. "So, talk me through it. Let's see if we can figure this out."

All it took was twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes for us to disagree on the plan. Of course, we both know that the there is inevitable risk no matter what we do. Bringing someone back from the other side is no easy task, and it comes with it's own set of dangers.

"Lee, you can't. There's too much risk involved."

"And I'm fine with that. We can plan ahead, account for different outcomes." I pull at my hair in frustration. "Honestly, I thought you wouldn't be this against it. Do you ever want me to bring you back?"

"Of course, I do, but not at the risk of your life." Kol's hands tightly grip my shoulders as he forces me to look and listen to him. "If you link us together and Silas succeeds, you would die, and I would still be gone."

"And if Silas fails, the link will act as an anchor to keep you here when the veil is restored." I place my hand on his cheek, and even he can't hide the smile or the way he leans into the contact. "Please, don't we at least owe it to ourselves to take this chance?"

The battle of worry and wanting to be alive again rages across his face. He sighs and rests his head against my own. "I think we owe ourselves a lot more than a chance for everything we've been through."

"Then let me do this." I plead as I stare into his eyes searching for any sign that he will agree. Although, I'm doing this with or without his approval. If it works, at least, he'll be around to have an argument with me about it.

Kol's eyes close for a second as he sighs in frustration. "Fine, but promise me that you'll be careful. Okay? Take every precaution."

"Of course." I manage a faint smile and chuckle. "After all, I have a family waiting for me."

"So you really found them?" He questions, and I nod excitedly. He pulls me onto the bed and forces me to sit down and tell him every detail of life since he—left. At least, that's how we phrase it for our own sake.

It feels like everything slows down in our little bubble as we talk and laugh in each others arms. My fingers tangle with his as a small laugh brushes past my lips. "You'll have to meet Jacque and Theo when we get back. Oh, and Judah too. I'm sure they'll love you and vice versa."

"Well, if they're anything like you, I'm sure I will." Kol smiles despite my elbow jamming into his ribs at the cheesy comment. "And what about Kaleb?"

Our little bubble pops in that moment. I try to hide the tremor from my voice as I question. "What about him?"

"Nothing, you just mentioned that he was a friend of yours but didn't say much about him." Kol pauses for a split second, his voice dropping. "Are you two—close?"

I force myself up and turn to face Kol at the comment. Kol watches me with a nearly blank expression, but I can see his emotions showing themselves in his eyes. "Not very. I mean he's never been anything more to me than a friend."

There's a flicker of relief and anger in Kol's eyes, which confirms my worst suspicion. "You know don't you? How?"

"Know about what?" He tries to feign innocence, but the edge in his voice betrays him.

"You should know by now Kol, you can't lie to me." I snap. My lip curls in anger as I ask again. "How did you know?"

"I was there." He sighs and breaks eye contact for a split second. "I was there for almost everything. You weren't hallucinating—most of the time at least. It was me."

My heart shudders in my chest as he continues. "I never left you, Ace."


	32. 32

It was only a second before I came to my senses and realized exactly what Kol was saying. That same second, I lost it. "You let me think I was crazy. All these months, I thought I was losing my mind. Why didn't you say anything?" I scream in Kol's face.

Every ounce of hurt that courses through my veins resonates in my voice, and it's the only thing that makes Kol flinch.

He lets me rant, scream, and tear into him until I feel like there's nothing left inside me. "Ace, I—actually, there's no excuse or reason I can give to justify it." His voice litters between the silence. "The truth is I was being selfish. I wanted to be near you and talk with you without consequences, without hurting you further. Now, I've done far worse than I could have by telling you the truth to start."

"You're right." I whisper as I stand up and move to leave. I linger for a second in the doorway to tell him. "I'm not saying this argument is over, but I'd rather not start something I don't know if we can finish."

"Where are you going?" Kol's voice follows after me as I trail down the hallway.

"Let's save that for the argument later." I call over my shoulder. "Because you definitely won't like the answer."

I keep my gaze firmly settled ahead of me. Of course, if anyone was foolish enough to sneak up on me, with the hub of power in my blood, it wouldn't be too difficult to sense or take them down. Although, I can't help but smile at the attempt. "I told you so." I call over my shoulder as I feel him approach. "And yet you still doubted me."

"Yes, I know." Silas sighs as he rounds a cluster of trees. "You knew exactly where to find Quetsiyah and even what she was doing."

A chuckle threatens to bubble from my lips at the shock that adorns his expression. "Now, I suppose you want to find out what else I know."

He watches me like a smothering parent as he quirks an eyebrow. "And I suppose your terms haven't changed?"

"Not in the slightest." I retort. "So is it really worth it to you? Are you really willing to give up the secret to the immortality and its cure; all to find out what really happened to your darling Amara?"

Silas snaps, but I dodge his hand so it just barely brushes past my skin. "Don't toy with me. I could cripple you in a second."

"But you can't, because for all your special tricks you can't see inside my mind. Which means if you hurt me, you'll never know the truth." I tease and hold out my hand. "Now, give me the spell. Then you can finally get the answers you've been waiting for all these years."

Silas glares at me, and if looks could truly kill, I would be nothing more than ash right now. Instead, he places a tightly folded piece of parchment into my palm. "Good. You'll find your full explanation waiting for you at this address." I toss him a map with the destination marked. "Good luck, Silas. You're gonna need it." I singsong, leaving behind me an anxious and confused immortal.

"How am I supposed to know that this is what I was promised?" He calls after me.

I turn back to him with a raised eyebrow. "The same way I know you gave me the real spell. We both desperately want something that the other had. Not to mention, I think both of us know that if one of us was crossed, retaliation is inevitable."

Silas nods in approval. "Then I hope for both of our sakes neither of us was that foolish."

I smirk at him and nod as I walk out of the woods, hop into my car, and when I'm sure there's enough distance—pray that I didn't kill everyone I love.

"What the hell did you do?" Kol shouts as he storms into my room. I ignore him, not bothering to open my eyes and lose focus. "Lee."

"Nothing too damaging." I reply, not bothering to hide the edge in my voice. "Now will you, please, be quiet. I'm trying to do a linking spell, but it's a little hard to focus with you shouting."

"I thought we agreed you weren't going to do it."

"You wanted that. I didn't agree to anything." I sigh as I give up the idea of maintaining enough focus to properly link us. "There comes a point where you need to trust me, Kol. I can do this. Plus, I actually have a plan. It will work."

"At least explain the plan to me. Give me a chance to trust you, by trusting me first." He begs as he sits down across from me and takes my hands. Unfortunately, he sits on the old paper, which crinkles under him.

I swallow the building lump in my throat as he smooths out the paper, and his eyes analyze all the complex writing on it. He bristles, but I can't bring myself to look him in the eye. "Let me explain before you jump down my throat on this."

The silence between us grips onto my throat. It tightens and twists the air out of my lungs as I struggle to find the words. "It was part of my deal with Silas. I had a vision when I first came back to town. Clips of me talking to him, papers with spells, and his death. I wasn't there for all of it, but something in me told me I was a piece in his demise. So, I formulated a plan—one to get what I needed while guiding him to where he needed to go.

"I knew no one would believe me or agree; so I decided to do it by myself, under the radar. Silas and Quetsiyah both wanted nothing more than revenge on one another. So I did the logical thing, pitted them against each other while taking what I needed from both.

"Quetsiyah and I already had a tentative encounter when I went searching for you on the other side. It gave me enough of an in to convince her that I could be her agent in taking Silas down. I could feed him the information that would make his crusade feel so much more painful. The problem was, she would never help me get you back.

"So I was left with one option—Silas, the only other witch who is the same caliber and knew magic as well as Tess. I played my part for her, but made a few additions of my own. Silas was more than willing to trade information. I gave him Quetsiyah's location in exchange for how to keep you here, and the immortality and cure for—for Amara's."

"Amara? How could you know where she is? She's been gone as long as he has." Kol interrupts. His anger has melted into curiosity, and he listens to my story with rapt attention.

"She hasn't. Quetsiyah was scorned and hurt. She wanted both of them to suffer for their betrayal. So since Amara had been made immortal, and there was only one cure. Quetsiyah couldn't kill her. Instead, she played the deception game. Silas only thought Amara was on the other side. As long as he thought that, there was a temptation to take the cure and die.

"Quetsiyah created the other side. So that Silas would be trapped forever and never be able to find Amara again. Amara's fate was worse. She was left immortal, but Quetsiyah made her the anchor. Every supernatural soul passes through her, and she feels their death as if she died too." I explain with a grin. "Silas has been denying death until he could be reunited with a ghost that doesn't exist. While Amara has wanted nothing more than to die herself, with or without Silas."

"Damn. Quetsiyah really knows how to get revenge." Kol chuckles, but it fades when his eyes trail down to the immortality spell. "You didn't explain why you wanted this."

"Isn't it obvious?" I question as I wrap my hands around his own. "With it we have a choice. Eternity or a lifetime together. I can become immortal, without having to worry about vampirism. It would leave me with my full magic capabilities and less vulnerability, and if we ever changed our minds, or something happened to the other, we would have the cure as a way out." Tears build up in my eyes, and I fight to keep them back as I stare at my fidgeting hands. "I never want to lose you again. Life without you is possible, but it's nothing I would ever want."

Kol's hand lifts my chin so that I have no choice but to stare in his eyes. "I never want to be without you either, Lee Mitchell. I can never say this enough, but I bloody love you." His lips capture mine, and the world tilts and dances around us. The feeling steals my breath and fills me with the joy that has rarely come around in his absence.

We both breathe deeply with wide smiles after we break apart. Kol rests his palm against my cheek as he whispers. "Alright. Let's do the spell."

I nuzzle my head deeper into Kol's warm chest and try to pay attention to the movie playing on the screen. Although, my mind keeps wandering. It's stupid of me to worry; everything has gone exactly to plan so far. Silas is gone, and the Mystic Falls gang has been doing their job to take down the travelers.

"There's nothing to worry about, Ace." Kol whispers as if he can read my thoughts. His lips press against the top of my head in a tender kiss. "Everything will be fine. Just forget about what's happening out there and focus on how tomorrow, we'll be in New Orleans with your family."

"I'm so excited for you to meet them."

"Well, this may sound crazy then, but why wait? Let's go right now. Do what we should have the first time and not wait."

"Really?" I question, unable to contain the beaming smile that breaks across my face. Kol laughs along with me and pulls me to my feet. "Let's go. I'll call Theo and Judah and tell them the good news."

Kol kisses me with the same tender haste that we've had since reuniting. Both of us can't really help but want to make up for the time that was lost between us. Now everything is charged with the electricity and love we had before. "I'll pack the car."

I grab my phone and dial the number as I bounce on my toes. Theo picks up after a few rings, and I have to keep myself from shouting with excitement. We talk for a minute, and within five minutes, Kol and I are on the road towards New Orleans. On our way to start the lives we had only dreamed of before.


	33. Epilogue

One month later

The moment I saw Theo in Rousseau's my stomach dropped with the familiar dread that comes only with catastrophes. Kol's hand finds mine as we both approach, and I'm sure he can hear my heart frantically pounding in my chest. "What's wrong?" I question, ignoring my brother's offer to sit.

Maybe I was stupid to think that life could be normal. After all, it's only been a week here, and Kol's already growing antsy with the hiding he has to do until I can get far enough in Marcel's good graces for him to not be seen as a threat. Not to mention, the growing pressure of the impending harvest. Along with the knowledge that I could stop it or be killed to keep the ancestor's dirty secrets buried.

"It's Dad." Theo whispers as he looks between Kol and I. He still doesn't know the full truth about why I was sent away. "He went to intervene after—"

"After what?" I pressure him.

"Davina was chosen."

"Davina as in my cousin?" Theo nods in confirmation of my worst fears. My breath rattles as I release it in a harsh sigh. "Damn, I really was hoping I could be selfish this once."

"What are you talking about, Ace? What's going on?" Kol turns me to face him, clearly attuned to the fact that I'm about to do something dangerous.

"Kol, you're gonna need to sit down for a second." He reluctantly slides onto a bar stool, and I ring my hands together. "First, I need you to understand that this is something I have to do, but nothing bad will happen.

"I never told you the complete story of why I was given up for adoption. The truth is much more convoluted then you know. Judah did give me up for my own safety, and the main reason is finally rearing its ugly head. The New Orleans witches practice ancestral magic, which means they have to keep a direct tie to this land and their ancestors. To do that, about every century they perform—"

"A harvest. Yes, I'm familiar with them." Kol interrupts, and I can see the gears turning in his head. "What exactly do you have to do with a Harvest?"

"It's more like what I am that has to do with it." I pause and nonverbally ask my brother to give us some space as I take the seat across from Kol. "Judah explained to me that my great-aunt was like me—a siphon, who could also gift magic. She kept it a secret her whole life, and no one ever suspected anything of her. Until one day, she was chosen to be a harvest girl. It didn't seem like anything much at the time. Her worst fear was someone discovering her secret and killing or shunning her.

"Unfortunately, she was discovered, but it went much worse than anyone would have thought. As a Harvest girl, she was tethered with the coven's magic, and the ancestors soon realized what she was. They wanted to kill her, but with the link to their magic, they feared her death stealing it away far worse than she did alive. The ancestors and the coven came up with an alternative. In an attempt to back track, they tried to prepare another harvest girl, but there was no changing what had been done.

"At least, not with there already being four harvest girls already chosen and prepared. Everyone split into two factions. One half thought it would be best to simply go through with the harvest as planned. There was nothing that suggested my great-aunt wouldn't be able to release the magic back into the earth as the others would.

"The remaining fraction believed that she should be killed so that her link would be severed and the ancestors could do what they deemed necessary to her. Judah explained to me that if the ancestors ever—" I pause to clear my throat and bite back the fear clawing it's way up my throat. "—if they ever caught her in their domain, her soul would be shredded, and I, being the same way, would share the same fate if I'm ever consecrated."

Kol's hand rests on mine in reassurance. "What happened to her?"

"She was murdered in her sleep. The faction that called for her death and replacement slit her throat at a group of the ancestor's urging. It was her own mother that did it to keep a secret. It was kept quiet that my great aunt had tried to appease both sides. She took the magic and filtered it right back into the land. She didn't want anyone to have to die, even temporarily, and she did it without a drop of bloodshed.

"She replenished the magic to New Orleans—by herself. There was no further need for the harvest, but the ancestors still had her murdered, consecrated, shredded her soul and demanded the harvest continue as planned. The other three girls died and didn't come back.

"Judah and I share the theory that I could eliminate the need for harvests—possibly permanently if not for at least a century longer than planned,— and I'm only a repetition in the bloodline for this kind of thing. He's been training me how to filter magic instead of just taking and giving. The idea we had is that by filtering instead of recycling could kickstart the system. Although, the coven still hasn't listened to his ideas, and with Marcel's ban on magic, they're desperate and scared. Now, Davina, my cousin, is going to be harvested. She has no idea what's waiting for her; no clue that she has to die and be brought back. It's not as beautiful as they want people to believe. Those girls won't come back as themselves, not entirely.

"I know, I'm asking for a lot, but they will kill Judah if he crosses them. Young girls will be slaughtered by the people they love with a whimsical promise to be brought back. All in the sake of the coven's greater good. The worst part is, I don't think I can live with myself if I sit back and do nothing." I explain, holding onto Kol's hands for dear life. "I can't lose anyone else."

"But what about you? What if they kill you?" Kol retorts. "Don't forget, we're still linked, and we have no idea if it's safe to break that yet."

"Which is why it's so important for you to trust me on this."

Kol sighs, clearly frustrated. "I do."

"Then trust that I'll be back as soon as I can. Safe and sound." I promise him as I stand up. Kol refuses to let go of my hand as he pulls me back into his arms. His fingers run through my hair as he presses a kiss to my forehead. "I'll be back soon. I promise."

"I love you, Ace."

"I love you too." I whisper back and take one last look over my shoulder before running straight into danger once again.

The cemetery was dripping with magic. I could feel it humming and ebbing as it traces it ways through every nook and cranny. Voices bounce off the stone walls, and I follow them to the source. Judah and some of the elders stand off. "You have to listen to me!" Judah shouts in frustration.

One of the elders, who I'm pretty sure is my aunt, throws him against a crypt and pins him there. "Dad!" I scream without realizing it as I rush over to his side, but soon enough, I'm pinned against another crypt.

"I should have known." My aunt growls as she approaches me with a snarl. "My sister always claimed that you were still out there. Even in her addled state, she knew that you were an abomination. Now you're back, and if what your father claims is true, you're capable of worse things than I would have assumed."

"Depends on what he's told you." I sneer back at her, but it only elicits more anger from her. The pressure on my windpipe increases until there's no breath in my chest. "Wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Don't you understand? We can do whatever we want around here." The second witch laughs in delight. "So, why don't you tell us a few things?"

"Why would I tell you anything?"

"Here's why." The third replies as she pulls out a dagger and proceeds to drag it across Judah's arm. Blood drips out of him along with a string of screams. "Now answer our questions or he'll be feeling much worse pretty soon."

"Don't tell them." Judah warns, his words laced with more meaning and context than they understand. "Don't tell them anything."

"Wrong answer, Rousseau." The same witch snaps as she makes another long incision in the opposite arm. "Let your daughter make her own mind."

"Wait." The second one calls out. She crosses toward me. The first image that crosses my mind is predator taunting its prey before the strike. "She's linked to someone."

"Well, if she's linked, it must be important. Now tell us, what do you know about Judah's claims?" I keep my lips sealed shut despite the trembling fear that rips through me. If I don't tell them the truth, I could lose everyone I love, but the truth could hurt exponentially more people.

"Fine, you don't want to talk? Let's change that, shall we?" My aunt teases as she her eyelids flutter shut. If I was scared before, terror would hardly be able to describe my emotions right now. My link with Kol is possibly the only thing keeping him here with me on this side, and now I can feel the knot tying us together slowly twisting apart.

It's like feeling myself being torn into two. I can feel Kol slipping away with the link binding us together, and before I can process it, he's gone.

"No. No. No!" I scream and fight against the magical constraints. "I'll kill you for that."

"Really? Because I thought we were the one going to kill you." The third witch taunts as she brushes my cheek with the dagger. "Or your precious dad. Unless you agree to tell us what you know."

"Don't tell them anything, Valette!" Judah shouts and his eyes flash with a terror beyond anything else.

We both know the undeniable truth. If they find out that people like me likely come around every harvest season, they likely wouldn't hesitate to erase the whole Rousseau bloodline from existence, which would include Jacques and Theo.

"No." My voice quakes. I just probably lost the one person I've fought so hard to bring back, and there's a good chance that I could lose Judah too.

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" The second witch questions as she and the third stand next to Judah. The third holds a knife to his throat while the second magically presses him from moving. "This is your last chance. Answer us."

"I can't."

"Then this on your hands." My aunt warns as she gives the signal, and I close my eyes to avoid having to see what happens next.

A scream tears its way out of my throat, and all I can see ahead of me is a blinding, red-hot pain. It boils in my veins, searing my skin from beneath. My limbs tremble as I try to fight it off, to avoid succumbing to the pain.

The more I strain, the more pressure builds up beneath my skin. Everything in me begs, pleads to let go, but I can't. Even with the feeling of being torn from the inside out; there's no way for me to let go.

Faces flash in my mind—Judah, Kol, Theo, Jack, and everyone else I love. I fight for them. With every breath I take in, needles pierce into my lungs. My heart pounds so violently I fear it will rip itself in two.

Then suddenly, everything goes black.


End file.
